Human T cell expansion and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis inhibited by Lenaldekar, a small molecule discovered in a zebrafish screen

Immune-mediated diseases [multiple sclerosis (MS), experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)] are driven by proliferating, highly activated autoreactive T-cells that are unresponsive to in vivo immunoregulatory mechanisms. The compound Lenaldekar (LDK) was identified in a zebrafish screen by inhibiting T-cell expansion. By monitoring mitogen- and antigen-driven proliferation, we found that LDK inhibited human and murine T-cell expansion in a non-cytolytic manner. This suppressive activity directly correlated with the degree of activation/proliferation of the T-cells. In testing LDK in an EAE model of MS, exacerbations were suppressed in treated animals. Therefore, LDK represents a novel therapeutic approach to T-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.