NITRIC-OXIDE LOCALIZED TO SPINAL-CORDS OF MICE WITH EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS - AN ELECTRON-PARAMAGNETIC-RESONANCE STUDY

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a demyelinating autoi mmune disorder that can be induced in susceptible mice by T lymphocyte s sensitized to central nervous system (CNS) myelin components and is a prime animal model for the human CNS demyelinating disorder, multipl e sclerosis (MS). Although CNS inflammation in which T lymphocytes and activated macrophages are the predominant cell types is observed in m ice with EAE and in humans with MS, the exact mechanisms underlying th e CNS damage and demyelination are not understood. Nitric oxide (NO), a gaseous free radical, has recently been shown to be a cytolytic prod uct of activated macrophages. Using electron paramagnetic resonance sp ectroscopy, the nitric oxide free radical complexed with iron-sulfur p roteins has been identified in affected spinal cords of mice with EAE, concurrent with the diminution of iron-sulfur proteins. These results indicate NO may play a role in the disease process of EAE, and perhap s MS.