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Treatment with selective estrogen receptor modulators regulates myelin specific T‐cells and suppresses experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
Author(s) -
Bebo Bruce F.,
Dehghani Babak,
Foster Scott,
Kurniawan Astrid,
Lopez Francisco J.,
Sherman Larry S.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
glia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.954
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1098-1136
pISSN - 0894-1491
DOI - 10.1002/glia.20805
Subject(s) - tamoxifen , experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis , selective estrogen receptor modulator , raloxifene , multiple sclerosis , myelin , antiestrogen , estrogen receptor , estrogen , biology , encephalomyelitis , immune system , endocrinology , immunology , medicine , cancer research , pharmacology , central nervous system , cancer , breast cancer
Steroidal estrogens can regulate inflammatory immune responses and may be involved in the suppression of multiple sclerosis (MS) during pregnancy. However, the risks and side effects associated with steroidal estrogens may limit their usefulness for long‐term MS therapy. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) could provide an alternative therapeutic strategy, because they behave as estrogen agonists in some tissues, but are either inert or behave like estrogen antagonists in other tissues. In this study, we investigated the ability of two commercially available SERMs (tamoxifen and raloxifene) to regulate myelin specific immunity and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in mice. Both tamoxifen and raloxifene suppressed myelin antigen specific T‐cell proliferation. However, tamoxifen was more effective in this regard. Tamoxifen treatment reduced the induction of major histocompatibility complex II by lipopolysaccharide stimulated dendritic cells and decreased their ability to activate myelin specific T‐cells. At lower doses, tamoxifen was found to increase the levels of Th2 transcription factors and induce a Th2 bias in cultures of myelin‐specific splenocytes. EAE symptoms and the degree of demyelination were less severe in mice treated with tamoxifen than in control mice. These findings support the notion that tamoxifen or related SERMs are potential agents that could be used in the treatment of inflammatory autoimmune disorders that affect the central nervous system. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.