Suppression of hyperacute and passively transferred experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by the anti-oxidant, butylated hydroxyanisole

• Published in: Journal of neuroimmunology Vol. 62; no. 1; pp. 69 - 77
• Main Authors: Hansen, L.A., Willenborg, D.O., Cowden, W.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-10-1995
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animals; Anti-oxidant therapy; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Butylated hydroxyanisole; Butylated Hydroxyanisole - pharmacology; Cell Movement - drug effects; Cell Movement - immunology; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental - immunology; Free radical scavenging; Free Radicals - immunology; Hyperacute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis; Immunization, Passive; Infusions, Parenteral; Lipid peroxidation; Male; Neutrophils - cytology; Passive transfer; Rats; Rats, Inbred Lew; Anti-oxidant therapy; Lipid peroxidation; Passive transfer; Butylated hydroxyanisole; Free radical scavenging; Hyperacute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
• ISSN: 0165-5728; 1872-8421
• DOI: 10.1016/0165-5728(95)00104-A

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) was used to treat hyperacute, ordinary passive, and hyperacute passive experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in the Lewis rat. The anti-oxidant, delivered via mini-osmotic pumps, reduced the incidence, severity and mortality in hyperacute EAE and also reduced the incidence, severity and duration of disease in passively induced EAE and hyperacute passive EAE. In all cases, cellular infiltration by both mononuclear and polymorphonuclear leukocytes were significantly reduced in treated rats. BHA appears therefore to act at the effector stage of EAE, reducing cellular infiltration in the brain and spinal cord and minimising clinical signs without blocking sensitisation or activation. This was supported by the finding that spleen cells from BHA-treated donors immunised for hyperacute EAE transferred disease at least as well as cells recovered from untreated donors.