Kinetics of anaphylatoxin C5a receptor expression during experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

In this study, we investigated the expression of the C5aR in spinal cords o f Lewis rats with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). Using in s itu hybridization (ISH) we analyzed the kinetics of C5aR at different time points of EAE (preclinical stage, clinical peak, remission phase). We obser ved that C5aR mRNA was readily detected in the CNS of EAE rats at all the s tages of the disease. Using a combination of ISH and immunohistochemistry, we formally demonstrated that C5aR is strongly expressed on microglial cell s and hypertrophic astrocytes during EAE. The potential involvement of C5a receptor in EAE physiopathology is discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V . All rights reserved.