Strain-specific susceptibility for neurodegeneration in a rat model of autoimmune optic neuritis

Heterogeneity in clinical disease course and histopathology complicates the treatment of multiple sclerosis. We detected important differences in neurodegeneration in various subtypes of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced optic neuritis. Dark Agouti (DA) rats showed a significantly higher survival of retinal ganglion cells in comparison to Brown Norway rats. After surgical transection of the optic nerve neuronal loss was similar in both rat strains. We identified an increased expression of interleukin 1β and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in DA rats as the possible mechanism of the observed endogenous neuroprotection in MOG-induced optic neuritis.