A Defined Diet Combined with Sonicated Inoculum Provides a High Incidence, Moderate Severity Form of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE).

Background: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35-55 (MOG)-peptide induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a model for inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. However, its severity and incidence vary within and between laboratories. Severe scores can lead to premature termination and are both unnecessary for readouts and detrimental to animal welfare.

Immune cell targeted fumaric esters support a role of GPR109A as a primary target of monomethyl fumarate in vivo.

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is approved as a treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), however, its mode of action remains unclear. One hypothesis proposes that Michael addition to thiols by DMF, notably glutathione is immunomodulatory. The alternative proposes that monomethyl fumarate (MMF), the hydrolysis product of DMF, is a ligand to the fatty acid receptor GPR109A found in the lysosomes of immune cells.