Melatonin ameliorates autoimmune encephalomyelitis through suppression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1
Melatonin ameliorates autoimmune encephalomyelitis through suppression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1
- JongChul Kang, Meejung Ahn, Yong-Sik Kim, Changjong Moon, Yongduk Lee, Myung-Bok Wie, Young-jae Lee and Taekyun Shin
- 대한수의학회
- Journal of Veterinary Science
- 제2권 제2호
- 등재여부 : KCI등재
- 2001.08
- 85 - 89 (5 pages)
Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), a pineal neurohormone, is a hydroxyl radical scavenger and antioxidant, and plays an important role in the immune system. We studied the effect of exogenous melatonin on the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). EAE was induced in Lewis rats by immunization with rat spinal cord homogenates. Subsequent oral administration of melatonin at 5 mg/kg significantly reduced the clinical severity of EAE paralysis compared with administration of the vehicle alone (p<0.01). Infiltration of ED1 macrophages and CD4 T cells into spinal cords occurred both in the absence and presence of melatonin treatment, but melatonin-treated rats had less spinal cord infiltration of inflammatory cells than did the control group. ICAM-1 immunoreactivity in the blood vessels of EAE lesions was decreased in melatonin-treated rats compared to vehicle-treated rats. These findings suggest that exogenous melatonin ameliorates EAE via a mechanism involving reduced expression of ICAM-1 and lymphocyte function associated antigen-1a in autoimmune target organs.