The beneficial role of the synthetic microneurotrophin BNN20 in a focal demyelination model.

BNN20, a C17-spiroepoxy derivative of the neurosteroid dehydroepiandrosterone, has been shown to exhibit strong neuroprotective properties but its role in glial populations has not been assessed. Our aim was to investigate the effect of BNN20 on glial populations by using in vitro and in vivo approaches, taking advantage of the well-established lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)-induced focal demyelination mouse model. Our in vivo studies, performed in male mice, showed that BNN20 treatment leads to an increased number of mature oligodendrocytes (OLs) in this model.