Abstract
Background and Objectives: Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a CD4+ Th1 cell-mediated inflammatory demyelinating autoimmune disease of the CNS that serves as an animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study we investigated the effectiveness of treatment with sesame oil on development of EAE and TH1 and TH2 responses.
Materials and Methods: EAE was induced by immunization of 8 week old mice with MOG35-55 with complete Freund’s adjuvant. Therapy with sesame oil was started on day 2 before the immunization as intraperitoneally. IFN-γ and IL-10 production from cultured spleen supernatants was determined by ELISA method.
Results: After daily dosage the sesame oil significantly reduced the clinical symptoms in C57BL/6 mice with EAE (p=0.001). Also, treated mice displayed a significantly delayed disease onset compared with control mice. Mononuclear cells isolated from spleen of treated mice showed a significant decrease in the production of IFN-γ compared with control mice (p=0.0001). Il-10 production was also enhanced in splenic mononuclear cells in treated mice. Ratio IFN-γ to IL-10 in sesame oil treated EAE mice is significantly less than non-treated EAE mice (p=0.01).
Conclusion: The cells responsible for the pathogenicity of EAE have been characterized as Th1 cells that secrete IFN-γ. This report indicate that sesame oil therapy protected mice from developing EAE by reducing Th1 cytokines with inducing Th2 cytokines. Thus, sesame oil treatment may be effective in MS patients by immunomodulating of TH1 immune response.