title: Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Experimental Autoimune Encephalomyelitis in C57BL/6 Mice.
abstract: Several religions recommend periods of fasting. One of the most frequently asked questions of MS patients before the holy month of Ramadan is weather fasting might have an unfavorable effect on their disease course. This debate became more challenging after the publication of experimental studies suggesting that calorie restriction prior to disease induction attenuates disease severity. We conducted this study to assess early and late effects of fasting on the animal model of MS, known as autoimmune encephalomyelitis. EAE was induced in the C57BL/6 mice, using Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycopeptide  (MOG) 35-55 and they fasted every other day either after the appearance of the first clinical sign or 30 days after disease induction for ten days. Thereafter, the mice were sacrificed for further histological and immunological evaluations. Intermittent fasting after the establishment of EAE did not have any unfavorable effect on the course of disease. Moreover, fasting at the early phase of disease alleviated EAE severity by ameliorating spinal cord demyelination. Fasting suppressed the secretion of IFN-γ, TNF-α and raised IL-10 production in splenocytes. Fasting was also associated with a lower percent of cytotoxicity. Intermittent fasting not only had no unfavorable effect on EAE but also reduced EAE severity if started at early phase of disease.
authors.affiliation: MS Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Shefa Neuroscience Research Centre, Khatam-Alanbia Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Soodeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Razeghi Jahromi
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran AND Shefa Neuroscience Research Centre, Khatam-Alanbia Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghaemi
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Akram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alizadeh
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sabetghadam
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hedieh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moradi Tabriz
authors.affiliation: Headache Department, Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansoureh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Togha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein / Q000633:toxicity; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000633:toxicity; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C556062:IL10 protein, mouse; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C445081:myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (35-55); D016753:Interleukin-10
keywords: Calorie restriction; Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis; Fasting; Immunity; Inflammation; Multiple sclerosis