Disease modifying activity of 15-deoxyspergualin on acute and chronic relapsing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis as models of multiple sclerosis (MS)

Abstract

Due to its immunosuppressive mode of action we examined the therapeutic effects of 15-Deoxyspergualin (15-DOS) in the two models of acute and chronic relapsing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Lewis rats. Treatment of myelin basic protein (MBP) immunized rats with 15-DOS was most effective in delaying and reducing the onset of clinical symptoms, and mortality was prevented in acute EAE. Similarly, in the chronic relapsing disease, inhibition of pathological signs and prevention of relapses were observed, even when 15-DOS treatment was started after the appearance of the first clinical symptoms. The drug was also effective in preventing the passive adoptive transfer of the disease to naive Lewis rats, and when encephalitogenic spleen cells from diseased animals were incubatedin vitro with 15-DOS their neuritogenicity was dose-dependent abrogated. All these results confirm that 15-DOS is a powerful immunosuppressant for the therapy of human multiple sclerosis (MS).