Plasma thrombin-antithrombin III complex is associated with the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Previous studies have shown that activation of blood coagulation and fibrin depositions around CNS vessels are observed in animals with experimental a utoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), which provides an animal model for human autoimmune demyelinating disorders. We examined the values of peripheral b lood fibrinogen, thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), fibrinolytic acti vity, and fibrin degradation products in Lewis rats with EAE to elucidate t he role of the blood coagulation-fibrinolysis system in EAE. Plasma TAT val ues increased immediately prior to development of symptoms, and decreased a ccording to the improvement of symptoms. There was significant correlation between TAT values and clinical scores of EAE: other markers were not corre lated with the symptoms of EAE. These results suggest that plasma TAT level s are sensitive markers of the severity of EAE, and may he useful clinical indicators for the severity of human autoimmune demyelinating disorders. (C ) 2001 Elsevier science B.V. All rights reserved.