Identification of brain antigens recognized by autoantibodies in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis-induced animals treated with etomoxir or interferon-β

Sci Rep. 2018 May 4;8(1):7092. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-25391-y.

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative autoimmune disease, where chronic inflammation plays an essential role in its pathology. A feature of MS is the production of autoantibodies stimulated by an altered-peptide-ligand response and epitope spreading, resulting in loss of tolerance for self-proteins. The involvement of autoantibodies in MS pathogenesis has been suggested to initiate and drive progression of inflammation; however, the etiology of MS remains unknown. The effect of etomoxir and interferon-β (IFN-β) was examined in an experimental-autoimmune-encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of MS. Moreover, the impact of etomoxir and IFN-β on recognition of brain proteins in serum from EAE rats was examined with the purpose of identifying the autoantibody reactivities involved in MS. Animals treated with etomoxir on day 1 exhibited a statistically significantly lower disease score than animals treated with IFN-β (on day 1 or 5) or placebo. Etomoxir treatment on day 5 resulted in a significantly lower disease score than IFN-β treatment on day 1. After disease induction antibodies was induced to a broad pallet of antigens in the brain. Surprisingly, by blocking CPT1 and therewith lipid metabolism several alterations in the antibody response was observed suggesting that autoantibodies play a role in the EAE animal model.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autoantibodies / immunology*
  • Autoantigens / immunology*
  • Autoimmunity
  • Brain / immunology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / immunology*
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / pathology
  • Epoxy Compounds / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • Interferon-beta / pharmacology*
  • Multiple Sclerosis / drug therapy
  • Multiple Sclerosis / immunology
  • Multiple Sclerosis / pathology
  • Rats
  • Severity of Illness Index

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Autoantigens
  • Epoxy Compounds
  • Interferon-beta
  • etomoxir