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Updated: Jun 5, 2025
Bioluminescence and Near-infrared Imaging of Optic Neuritis and Brain Inflammation in the EAE Model of Multiple Sclerosis in Mice
Published on: March 1, 2017
Multimodal Longitudinal Optical Imaging Reveals Optic Neuritis Preceding Retinal Pathology in Experimental Autoimmune
Raphael Raspe1, Robert Günther1, Ralf Uecker1
1From the Departments of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology (R.R., A.E.H., R.U.) and Neuropathology (R.R., H.R.), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin; Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum, a Leibniz Institute, Immune Dynamics (A.E.H., R.G.) and Biophysical Analytics (A.R., R.A.N.), Berlin; NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin (F.P.), Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Max-Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine (F.P.); and Dynamic and Functional in vivo Imaging, Freie Universität (R.A.N.) Berlin, Germany.
Immune cell recruitment to the optic nerve in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) signals early disease activity. This finding highlights the potential of retinal imaging for monitoring neuroinflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a leading cause of disability, often presenting with visual dysfunction due to optic neuritis.
- Retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) assesses structural changes, but cellular mechanisms remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of retinal changes and immune cell activity in a mouse model of MS.
- To understand the cellular-level pathobiological mechanisms underlying visual dysfunction in MS.
Main Methods:
- Utilized experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model in mice with fluorescent reporters for neuronal function and immune cells.
- Employed combined retinal intravital 2-photon microscopy (2PM) and OCT for longitudinal imaging over 1 month.
- Histopathology was used to validate imaging findings.
Main Results:
- Optic neuritis signs appeared early, independent of motor symptoms.
- Retinal neuronal stress and immune activation peaked after clinical disease.
- Immune cell recruitment to the optic nerve was detected as early as 1 week post-EAE induction.
- No lasting structural retinal damage was observed within the study period.
Conclusions:
- Recruitment of CX3CR1+ cells to the optic nerve is an early indicator of disease.
- Combined structural and functional retinal imaging is crucial for characterizing neuroinflammation.
- Retinal phagocyte characteristics may serve as surrogate markers for neurodegeneration.
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