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Treatment of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in SJL/J mice with a replicative HSV-1 vector expressing interleukin-5

Gene Therapy volume 18, pages 646–655 (2011)Cite this article

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Abstract

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an autoimmune inflammation of the central nervous system and is used as the experimental model of multiple sclerosis (MS). The exact mechanism behind the disease is still unknown, but interleukin (IL)-17 expressing T cells are thought to mediate the disease. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are known to have a role in the innate immune response against pathogens, and several TLRs have also a role in the disease course of EAE. Here, we show that treatment with a herpes simplex virus type 1 vector expressing the Th2 cytokine IL-5 ameliorates EAE and decreases the numbers of infiltrating lymphocytes in the brain. The effect involves downregulation of TLR 2, 3 and 9 mRNA expression and upregulation of type I interferons (IFNs) in brains during onset of disease. The elevated expression of type I IFNs was also observed during recovery.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the Academy of Finland, Grant nos. 118366 and 128915, the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Research and Science foundation of Farmos, the Paulo Foundation and Turku Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. We are grateful for the technical assistance by Terhi Helander and Leena Marjatta Järvi and animal care by Seija Lindqvist. We also thank Dr Bernard Roizman for the recombinant HSV-1 vectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Virology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    M Nygårdas, C Aspelin, H Paavilainen, M Waris & V Hukkanen

  2. Department of Pathology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    M Röyttä

  3. Department of Microbiology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    V Hukkanen

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  1. M Nygårdas
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Correspondence to M Nygårdas.

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Nygårdas, M., Aspelin, C., Paavilainen, H. et al. Treatment of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in SJL/J mice with a replicative HSV-1 vector expressing interleukin-5. Gene Ther 18, 646–655 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/gt.2011.4

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