[An expression plasmid encoding recombinant immunotoxin IP10-DT390 suppresses the experimental autoimmune...

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS); it serves as a model for the human multiple sclerosis (MS). In mice, EAE is mediated by T cells specific for various myelin basic proteins which migrate from the periphery to the CNS. In search of a way to prevent the induction and progression of EAE, we observed the effects of recombinant immunotoxin IP10-DT390 on blocking or eliminating the active T cells in the EAE model. In this paper is presented an experimental gene therapy-based model in which the mice were made resistant to EAE induction by plasmid DNA encoding recombinant immunotoxin that was injected into the leg muscles of mice. The new immuno-biological construct could selectively impair autoreactive T-cell homing while the duration of clinical signs is shorter, and the new construct would not affect other components of the immune response. These data demonstrated the effectiveness of the constructs in the treatment of EAE and suggested its usefulness in the treatment of other autoimmune diseases.