Elsevier

Journal of Autoimmunity

Volume 13, Issue 2, September 1999, Pages 187-195
Journal of Autoimmunity

Regular Article
Amelioration of Experimental Allergic Neuritis by Sodium Fusidate (Fusidin): Suppression of IFN-γ and TNF-α and Enhancement of IL-10

https://doi.org/10.1006/jaut.1999.0317Get rights and content

Abstract

The immunomodulating antibiotic drug fusidic acid and its sodium salt sodium fusidate (fusidin) ameliorate several organ-specific immunoinflammatory diseases. Because preliminary observations suggest that fusidin may also exert a beneficial effect in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), here we have studied the effects of fusidin on actively induced experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) in rats, a known animal model for GBS. Both prophylactic and therapeutic treatment with fusidin (4 mg/rat day ip) markedly ameliorated the clinical course of the disease compared to vehicle-treated animals. The beneficial effects were associated with profound modifications of the capacity of these rats to produce and release pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-10, which are important in regulating the development of EAN.

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    Correspondence to: Roberto Di Marco, via Lorenzo Bolano 40, 95122 Catania, Italy. Fax: +39 095 325032. E-mail:[email protected]

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