Mild experimental autoimmune encephalitis as a tool to induce blood-brain barrier dysfunction

J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2010 Feb;117(2):165-9. doi: 10.1007/s00702-009-0342-6. Epub 2009 Nov 28.

Abstract

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) serves as a border limiting access of immunoglobulins from the circulation into the brain. This becomes relevant when studying the pathogenesis of antibody-mediated autoimmune CNS disorders. Here, we characterized the BBB dysfunction in a model of mild experimental adoptive transfer autoimmune encephalomyelitis (AT-EAE). We show that large molecules can readily penetrate the BBB between days 3 and 7 after EAE-induction. This model may be valuable for studying putative pathogenic effects of immunoglobulins in the central nervous system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Albumins / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / physiopathology*
  • Body Weight
  • Capillary Permeability
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiopathology
  • Ectodysplasins / metabolism
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / physiopathology*
  • Evans Blue
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / metabolism
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Motor Activity
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Lew
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Spinal Cord / physiopathology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Albumins
  • EDA protein, human
  • Ectodysplasins
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Evans Blue