Clinical course of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35–55 induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis is aggravated by glia maturation factor

The role of glia maturation factor (GMF) in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) 35–55 peptide-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was investigated using GMF-deficient (GMF-KO) mice. We demonstrate that GMF-KO mice were resistant to the MOG 35–55 peptide-induced EAE as compared to wild type (Wt) mice (two in eight versus 10 in 10). Next, we examined the effect of administration of recombinant human GMF (rGMF) on MOG 35–55 peptide-induced EAE in mice. Daily administration of rGMF, staring days 1–14, resulted in significant exacerbation of clinical symptoms. Following rGMF injections, both GMF-KO (six in eight) and Wt mice (eight in eight) developed severe EAE (maximal clinical score of 3.5–4.0) with high frequency. The histological examination revealed severe infiltration of inflammatory cells in the spinal cord of MOG-immunized Wt mice while the resistance to EAE in GMF-KO mice was characterized by the absence of inflammatory cells. Administration of rGMF in Wt mice and GMF-KO mice resulted in a significant increase in infiltrating cells in the spinal cord following MOG-immunizations. We also evaluated cytokines and chemokines production as parameters of severity of inflammation in the spinal cord of Wt versus GMF-KO mice with and without GMF-reconstitution following MOG-immunizations. Cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6) and chemokines (CCL2, CCL3, CXCL10, GM-CSF) production were significantly greater in Wt mice than in GMF-KO mice following MOG-immunization. Furthermore, the reconstitution experiment with rGMF showed that the administration of rGMF in both, Wt mice and GMF-KO mice produced significant increase in the GMF-mediated cytokine/chemokine production.

► GMF plays a crucial role in the progression of EAE pathology in MOG-immunized mice.
► GMF accelerates progression of EAE by regulating production of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines in MOG-immunized mice.
► Administration of exogenous rGMF resulted in a significant exacerbation of clinical symptoms of EAE in MOG-immunized mice.