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

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.