The effects of prophylactic cyclosporin A on experimental allergic neuritis (EAN) in the Lewis rat. Induction of relapsing EAN using low dose cyclosporin A

• Published in: Journal of neuroimmunology Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 131 - 140
• Main Authors: McCombe, P.A., van der Kreek, S.A., Pender, M.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier B.V 01.07.1990; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cyclosporin A; Cyclosporins - administration & dosage; Cyclosporins - pharmacology; Demyelination; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Experimental allergic neuritis; Female; Lewis rat; Male; Medical sciences; Myelin Sheath - pathology; Nervous system involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous; Neuritis, Autoimmune, Experimental - chemically induced; Neuritis, Autoimmune, Experimental - pathology; Neuritis, Autoimmune, Experimental - prevention & control; Neurology; Rats; Rats, Inbred Lew; Recurrence; Reference Values; Time Factors; Tolerance; Tolerance; Lewis rat; Experimental allergic neuritis; Cyclosporin A; Demyelination; Animal model; Nervous system diseases; Rat; Rodentia; Helper cell; Histology; Immune regulation; Nevritis; Dose activity relation; Immunomodulator; Prevention; Vertebrata; Experimental disease; Mammalia; Immune tolerance; T-Lymphocyte
• ISSN: 0165-5728; 1872-8421
• DOI: 10.1016/0165-5728(90)90027-K

Experimental allergic neuritis 9EAN) was induced in Lewis rats by inoculation with bovine intradural root myelin plus adjuvants. Animals treated with high dose (30 mg/kg) cyclosporin A (CsA) 3 times per week did not develop clinical EAN during the period of CsA treatment, but had an episode of EAN after cessation of CsA treatment. Animals treated with low dose (4 mg/kg) CsA 3 times per week developed EAN during the period of treatment, and after cessation of CsA treatment all of these animals developed relapsing EAN with disease continuing for up to four episodes. In contrast, 30–40% of untreated animals had a mild second episode of EAN but no further attacks. Histological studies performed in treated and untreated animals at the time of clinical episodes revealed inflammation and demyelination in the spinal roots and dorsal root ganglia. When animals were challenged with a second inoculation at age 7 months, one of 15 untreated control animals but none of the CsA treated animals developed an episode of EAN.