MYELIN-INDUCED EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS IN LEWIS RATS - TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA LEVELS IN SERUM AND CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID - IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EXPRESSION IN GLIAL-CELLS AND MACROPHAGES OF OPTIC-NERVE AND SPINAL-CORD
H. Villarroya et al., MYELIN-INDUCED EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS IN LEWIS RATS - TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA LEVELS IN SERUM AND CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID - IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EXPRESSION IN GLIAL-CELLS AND MACROPHAGES OF OPTIC-NERVE AND SPINAL-CORD, Journal of neuroimmunology, 64(1), 1996, pp. 55-61
Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) activity was measured in serum
and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of Lewis rats after experimental allerg
ic encephalomyelitis (EAE) induction and during the clinical course of
acute disease. TNF alpha bioactivity expression preceded the clinical
symptoms and paralleled the severity of disease. We further investiga
ted the identity of the central nervous system (CNS) cells involved in
TNF alpha expression and their regional localization during EAE. Tiss
ue sections of brain, cerebellum, dorsal spinal cord and optic nerve w
ere studied by indirect double labelling immunofluorescence. Spinal co
rd white matter and optic nerve showed a widespread TNF alpha immunore
activity at critical stages of EAE in macrophages/microglia and astroc
ytes. We have shown changes in CSF/serum albumin ratio and immunoglobu
lin G index during EAE. Our results confirm the very important role of
TNF alpha in EAE.