DISEASE-MODIFYING ACTIVITY OF 15-DEOXYSPERGUALIN ON ACUTE ACID CHRONIC RELAPSING EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS AS MODELS OF MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS (MS)

Due to its immunosuppressive mode of action we examined the therapeuti c effects of 15-Deoxyspergualin (15-DOS) in the two models of acute an d chronic relapsing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in L ewis rats. Treatment of myelin basic protein (MBP) immunized rats with 15-DOS was most effective in delaying and reducing the onset of clini cal symptoms, and mortality was prevented in acute EAE. Similarly, in the chronic relapsing disease, inhibition of pathological signs and pr evention of relapses were observed, even when 15-DOS treatment was sta rted after the appearance of the first clinical symptoms. The drug was also effective in preventing the passive adoptive transfer of the dis ease to naive Lewis rats, and when encephalitogenic spleen cells from diseased animals were incubated in vitro with 15-DOS their neuritogeni city was dose-dependent abrogated. All these results confirm that 15-D OS is a powerful immunosuppressant for the therapy of human multiple s clerosis (MS).