Oral tolerance is the natural occurring phenomenon of a decreased immune response to previously fed antigens, which prevents induction of a response to dietary antigens. One of the mechanisms is deletion of T lymphocytes reactive to the fed antigen. Knowing that phenomenon, it seems appropriate to engage this mechanism for treatment of autoimmune diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Multiple sclerosis is a human autoimmunological disease that causes neurodegeneration. One of the potential ways to stop its development is induction of oral tolerance, whose effect lies in decreasing immune response to the fed antigen. It was shown in animal models that administration of specific epitopes of the three main myelin proteins - myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), myelin basic protein (MBP), and proteolipid protein (PLP) - results in induction of oral tolerance and suppression of disease symptoms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExperimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model that mimics many aspects of multiple sclerosis (MS). In MS the immune system attacks the white matter of the brain and spinal cord, leading to disability and paralysis. Neurons, oligodendrocytes and myelin are lost due to the release of cytotoxic cytokines, autoantibodies and toxic amounts of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of this study was to use the hydrolysate of pig spinal cord proteins to induce oral tolerance in the animal model of sclerosis multiplex - experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. The female Lewis rats were fed with hydrolysate of pig spinal cord proteins in two doses for one week before immunization, which was induced by injection of guinea pig spinal cord homogenate. At the peak of clinical symptoms (the 13th day post immunization) the rats were sacrificed and the spleen removed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFolia Neuropathol
August 2004
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of genes of the neutral proteinases that are important to normal development and to a variety of pathological processes including neuroinflammation. In the central nervous system (CNS), MMPs degrade components of the basal lamina, leading to disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and contribute to the neuroinflammatory responses. Their concentration in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) increases a few folds and is accompanied by a thinner basal membrane in the early phase of EAE.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA specific protein (antigen) given orally is a known method of introducing tolerance of immunological response to this antigen. This method has recently been reviewed by some authors as a possible tool in the treatment of autoaggressive diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. The experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) respected animal model for MS was used for the study.
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