Mitochondrial Uncoupler, 2,4-Dinitrophenol, Reduces Spinal Cord Paralysis and Retinal Ganglion Cell Loss in the Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Model of Multiple Sclerosis.

Optic neuritis is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the optic nerve that often occurs in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Sixty percent of patients develop some level of permanent visual loss due to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) damage following optic neuritis, with no known treatment to prevent this loss. Prior studies showed that MP201, a prodrug of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) administered in the experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE) mouse model of MS attenuated optic neuritis with preserved vision, increased retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival, decreased axon loss, and reduced demyelination.