Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0014070 (encephalomyelitis)
 13,017 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We previously demonstrated that angiotensin II acts as a crucial neuroprotective factor after neural injury through angiotensin II type-2 (AT2) receptor signaling. Although the pathway is known to play an important role in the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) angiotensin II levels in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have never been studied. To clarify the significance of angiotensin II in MS, we assayed angiotensin II concentrations using an established enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay in CSF samples from patients with MS (n = 21), patients with inflammatory neuropathies (IN) (n = 23) and control individuals who did not have either of the neurological diseases or any other disease that might affect the angiotensin II levels in the CSF (control) (n = 24). Angiotensin II levels in the CSF were 3.79 +/- 1.54 pg/ml in the MS group, 5.13 +/- 2.27 pg/ml in the IN group and 6.71 +/- 2.65 pg/ml in the control group. The angiotensin II levels in the CSF of the MS group were significantly lower than in the control group (p = 0.00057). Angiotensin II concentration in the CSF tended to have a negative correlation with the Kurtzke's Expanded Disability Status Scale scores during MS relapse (p = 0.0847). These findings suggest that reduced levels of intrathecal angiotensin II may be related to the abnormal neural damage and repair processes in MS.
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PMID:Reduction of angiotensin II in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis. 1856 10

Angiotensin II is the principle effector molecule of the renin angiotensin system (RAS). It exerts its various actions on the cardiovascular and renal system, mainly via interaction with the angiotensin II type-1 receptor (AT1R), which contributes to blood pressure regulation and development of hypertension but may also mediate effects on the immune system. Here we study the role of the RAS in myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (MOG-EAE), a model mimicking many aspects of multiple sclerosis. Quantitative RT-PCR analyses showed an up-regulation of renin, angiotensin-converting enzyme, as well as AT1R in the inflamed spinal cord and the immune system, including antigen presenting cells (APC). Treatment with the renin inhibitor aliskiren, the angiotensin II converting-enzyme inhibitor enalapril, as well as preventive or therapeutic application of the AT1R antagonist losartan, resulted in a significantly ameliorated course of MOG-EAE. Blockade of AT1R did not directly impact on T-cell responses, but significantly reduced numbers of CD11b+ or CD11c+ APC in immune organs and in the inflamed spinal cord. Additionally, AT1R blockade impaired the expression of CCL2, CCL3, and CXCL10, and reduced CCL2-induced APC migration. Our findings suggest a pivotal role of the RAS in autoimmune inflammation of the central nervous system and identify RAS blockade as a potential new target for multiple sclerosis therapy.
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PMID:Role of the renin-angiotensin system in autoimmune inflammation of the central nervous system. 1970 25