ANTIBODIES AGAINST LEUKOCYTE FUNCTION-ASSOCIATED ANTIGEN-1 AND AGAINST INTERCELLULAR-ADHESION MOLECULE-1 TOGETHER SUPPRESS THE PROGRESSION OF EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS

We obtained the evidence that coadministration in vivo of mAbs against leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) and intercellular adh esion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) suppressed the progression of experimental a llergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in rats. The suppressive effect in viv o of coadministration of the mAbs during the induction phase was not p rominent, but the administration of these mAbs during the effector pha se markedly suppressed the progression of clinical illness and prevent ed the infiltration of encephalitogenic cells into the central nervous system, However, administration of the mAb to LFA-1 alone or ICAM-1 a lone did not show such suppressive effects. These findings suggest tha t LFA-1 and ICAM-1 are critically involved in the development of EAE a nd that the administration together of mAbs against adhesion molecules including LFA-1 and ICAM-1 might provide a new immunotherapeutic appr oach for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.