Nitric oxide and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis review

Abstract

Immunisation with neuroantigen in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) results in a range from severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) to no EAE in various strains and sexes of rodents. When CFA was substituted for carbonyl iron, all were EAE-susceptible. One of the differences between the two adjuvants was the strong induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase in EAE-resistant strains by CFA.

The questions discussed in this review are:

1/ Could exaggerated production of nitric oxide protect against development of autoimmunity?

2/ Could non-susceptible strains be rendered susceptible to EAE by interfering with NO levels during the inductive phase?

3/ Could susceptible strains be rendered resistant to EAE by interfering with NO levels during the inductive phase?

The answer to the three questions is “yes” and one of the reasons is the NO-induced actin polarization in the encephalitogenic T cells leading to their reduced trans-endothelial migration.