The Beneficial Effects of Resveratrol on Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) in C57BL/6J Mouse Model

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system of unknown cause and limited therapeutical treatments. In this study we analyzed the effects of resveratrol (RSV), a polyphenolic compound with well-known neuroprotective effects, on neuronal damage in brain tissue caused by experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)-an established model of multiple sclerosis, using C57BL/6J female mice. A total of 40 C57BL/6J female mice were divided equally into four groups: control, EAE, RSV and RSV + EAE. 14 days after induction of EAE with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein MOG35-55 and pertussis toxin, mice were treated via oral gavage with RSV at the doses of 20 mg/kg per day for 7 days. According to our results RSV treatment prevented oxidative stress caused by EAE via a decrease in lipid peroxidation and an increase in the elements of the antioxidant defense systems in brain tissue. The histopathological changes in caspase-3 and IL-17 activity and cytokine levels (TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta) induced by EAE in mouse brain tissue were reversed by RSV treatment. Moreover, elevated TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta levels, induced by EAE, were diminished in blood serum, and neurological deficits were reversed in EAE mice treated with RSV. Our findings suggest that RSV treatment effectively prevents oxidative, immunological, and histological changes in the brain caused by EAE and the beneficial effects of RSV are likely to result from its strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.