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)

Antioxidants (ascorbic acid, glutathione, cysteine, alpha-tocopherol) and uric acid were measured using two high-pressure liquid chromatographic methods in 3 regions (cervical, thoracic, lumbar) of the spinal cord and in blood of Lewis rats during the attack and recovery of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Uric acid, which is thought to be a marker of free radical release, was greatly increased and glutathione correspondingly decreased in lumbar and thoracic regions. Cysteine and ascorbic acid were practically unchanged, whereas alpha-tocopherol was significantly increased during attack and recovery. Results, which could have therapeutic implications, generally support the hypothesis that free radicals are released during EAE.
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PMID:Measurement of free radical scavengers in the spinal cord of rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. 278 69

Uric acid, the naturally occurring product of purine metabolism, is a strong peroxynitrite scavenger, as demonstrated by the capacity to bind peroxynitrite but not nitric oxide (NO) produced by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated cells of a mouse monocyte line. In this study, we used uric acid to treat experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in the PLSJL strain of mice, which develop a chronic form of the disease with remissions and exacerbations. Uric acid administration was found to have strong therapeutic effects in a dose-dependent fashion. A regimen of four daily doses of 500 mg/kg uric acid was required to promote long-term survival regardless of whether treatment was initiated before or after the clinical symptoms of EAE had appeared. The requirement for multiple doses is likely to be caused by the rapid clearance of uric acid in mice which, unlike humans, metabolize uric acid a step further to allantoin. Uric acid treatment also was found to diminish clinical signs of a disease resembling EAE in interferon-gamma receptor knockout mice. A possible association between multiple sclerosis (MS), the disease on which EAE is modeled, and uric acid is supported by the finding that patients with MS have significantly lower levels of serum uric acid than controls. In addition, statistical evaluation of more than 20 million patient records for the incidence of MS and gout (hyperuricemic) revealed that the two diseases are almost mutually exclusive, raising the possibility that hyperuricemia may protect against MS.
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PMID:Uric acid, a natural scavenger of peroxynitrite, in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis. 943 51

Uric acid, the naturally occurring product of purine metabolism, is widely used as a diagnostic parameter in different diseases. The concentration of uric acid may vary between broad ranges without causing symptoms, like idiopathic hyperuricemia, which behind metabolic disorders were always suggested. Recently the uric acid has been shown as a strong scavenger of oxidative stress molecules or radicals. Uric acid was successfully used to treat experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, the mouse model of multiple sclerosis (M. S.). It was shown, that patients with multiple sclerosis had significantly lower levels of serum uric acid than the control persons. In addition, statistical evaluation of more than 20 million patient records for the incidence of MS and hyperuricemic gout revealed, that the hyperuricemia may protect against MS.
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PMID:[Uric acid as a scavenger in oxidative stress]. 1007 5

Peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)), the product of nitric oxide (NO(radical)) and superoxide (O(2)(-radical)), is believed to be a major contributor to immunotoxicity when produced by activated cells expressing inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Uric acid (UA) is a natural scavenger of ONOO(-) that is present at high levels in the sera of humans and other higher order primates relative to most lower mammals. We have previously shown that UA treatment is therapeutic in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), a rodent model of multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study we have examined the effect of UA therapy on the dynamics of the appearance of iNOS-positive cells in central nervous system (CNS) tissue of mice subjected to the stimuli that cause EAE. The results indicate that UA prevents activated monocytes from entering CNS tissue where they may contribute to the pathogenesis of MS and other CNS diseases.
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PMID:Protection of myelin basic protein immunized mice from free-radical mediated inflammatory cell invasion of the central nervous system by the natural peroxynitrite scavenger uric acid. 1099 68

Uric acid (UA), a product of purine metabolism, is a known scavenger of peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)), which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). To determine whether the known therapeutic action of UA in EAE is mediated through its capacity to inactivate ONOO(-) or some other immunoregulatory phenomenon, the effects of UA on Ag presentation, T cell reactivity, Ab production, and evidence of CNS inflammation were assessed. The inclusion of physiological levels of UA in culture effectively inhibited ONOO(-)-mediated oxidation as well as tyrosine nitration, which has been associated with damage in EAE and multiple sclerosis, but had no inhibitory effect on the T cell-proliferative response to myelin basic protein (MBP) or on APC function. In addition, UA treatment was found to have no notable effect on the development of the immune response to MBP in vivo, as measured by the production of MBP-specific Ab and the induction of MBP-specific T cells. The appearance of cells expressing mRNA for inducible NO synthase in the circulation of MBP-immunized mice was also unaffected by UA treatment. However, in UA-treated animals, the blood-CNS barrier breakdown normally associated with EAE did not occur, and inducible NO synthase-positive cells most often failed to reach CNS tissue. These findings are consistent with the notion that UA is therapeutic in EAE by inactivating ONOO(-), or a related molecule, which is produced by activated monocytes and contributes to both enhanced blood-CNS barrier permeability as well as CNS tissue pathology.
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PMID:The peroxynitrite scavenger uric acid prevents inflammatory cell invasion into the central nervous system in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis through maintenance of blood-central nervous system barrier integrity. 1108 92

Peroxynitrite, the product of the free radicals nitric oxide and superoxide, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory CNS disorders. Uric acid, an effective scavenger of peroxynitrite, is a purine metabolite present at high levels in the serum of hominoids relative to lower-order animals due to the functional deletion of urate oxidase. Raising the normally low levels of uric acid in mice is therapeutic for experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, an animal model of multiple sclerosis. This therapeutic activity of uric acid is associated with the inhibition of peroxynitrite-induced tissue damage, blood-CNS barrier permeability changes, and CNS inflammation. Based on these findings we have concluded that peroxynitrite has an important role in promoting enhanced vascular permeability and inflammatory cell extravasation. We hypothesize that higher uric acid levels in hominoids evolved to protect against this process.
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PMID:The role of uric acid in protection against peroxynitrite-mediated pathology. 1219 94

Uric acid (UA) is a purine metabolite that selectively inhibits peroxynitrite-mediated reactions implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Serum UA levels are inversely associated with the incidence of MS in humans because MS patients have low serum UA levels and individuals with hyperuricemia (gout) rarely develop the disease. Moreover, the administration of UA is therapeutic in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS. Thus, raising serum UA levels in MS patients, by oral administration of a UA precursor such as inosine, may have therapeutic value. We have assessed the effects of inosine, as well as inosinic acid, on parameters relevant to the chemical reactivity of peroxynitrite and the pathogenesis of EAE. Both had no effect on chemical reactions associated with peroxynitrite, such as tyrosine nitration, or on the activation of inflammatory cells in vitro. Moreover, when mice treated with the urate oxidase inhibitor potassium oxonate were fed inosine or inosinic acid, serum UA levels were elevated markedly for a period of hours, whereas only a minor, transient increase in serum inosine was detected. Administration of inosinic acid suppressed the appearance of clinical signs of EAE and promoted recovery from ongoing disease. The therapeutic effect on animals with active EAE was associated with increased UA, but not inosine, levels in CNS tissue. We, therefore, conclude that the mode of action of inosine and inosinic acid in EAE is via their metabolism to UA.
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PMID:Therapeutic intervention in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by administration of uric acid precursors. 1245 Nov 83

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Its etiology is not known, but it is well established that auto-reactive T-cells and monocytes play an important pathogenetic role. Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) of mice serves as disease model for MS. In both EAE and MS inflammatory cells produce nitric oxide and its oxidizing congeners such as peroxynitrite. Peroxynitrite and other reactive nitrogen oxide species exert a toxic effect on neurons, axons and glia cells and enhance apoptosis. In addition, they increase the blood-CNS-barrier permeability and can therefore promote invasion of inflammatory cells into the CNS. On the other hand, uric acid, a peroxynitrite scavenger inhibits blood-CNS-barrier permeability changes, CNS inflammation and tissue damage in EAE. Epidemiological studies have shown that MS and gout are almost mutually exclusive diseases. Uric acid levels in MS patients are lower than in controls and in patients with active disease lower than in MS patients in remission. Inosine, a uric acid precursor, can be used to raise uric acid levels in serum and may provide some benefit in MS patients. A small study of ten patients with progressive MS has demonstrated some improved function in three of them and no sign of progression or relapse in the other. However, this study does not justify a recommendation for use of inosine in MS patients yet. At present, uric acid can solely be regarded as a marker of disease activity in MS. In addition, the current knowledge of uric acid and MS supports hypotheses which predict a positive effect of radical scavengers in MS.
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PMID:[Uric acid and multiple sclerosis]. 1549 14

Peroxynitrite, a reactive oxidant formed by the reaction of nitric oxide with superoxide at sites of inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS), is capable of damaging tissues and cells. Uric acid, a natural scavenger of peroxynitrite, reduces inflammatory demyelination in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. Some studies reported lower serum levels of uric acid in MS patients compared with controls, whereas other studies found no difference. A critical appraisal of these studies favors the view that reduced uric acid in MS is secondary to its peroxynitrite scavenging activity during inflammatory disease activity, rather than a primary deficiency. Serum uric acid levels could be used as a biomarker for monitoring disease activity in MS. Therapeutic strategies aimed at raising serum uric acid levels may have a glial/neuroprotective effect on MS patients.
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PMID:Uric acid in multiple sclerosis. 1668 59

Anti-inflammatory drugs are effective on relapses, but neuroprotective agents to prevent disability are still unavailable. Uric acid has neuroprotective effects in experimental models including encephalomyelitis and appears to be involved in multiple sclerosis. Oral administration of inosine, a precursor of uric acid, increases serum uric acid levels and is well tolerated. Our objective was to test the possibility that a combination therapy associating an anti-inflammatory drug (interferon beta) and an endogenous neuroprotective molecule (uric acid) would be more effective than interferon beta alone on the accumulation of disability. Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis on interferon beta for at least 6 months were randomized to interferon beta + inosine or interferon beta + placebo for 2 years. The dose of inosine was adjusted to maintain serum uric acid levels in the range of asymptomatic hyperuricaemia (<or=10 mg/dl). The primary end points were percentage of patients with progression of disability and time to sustained progression (Kaplan-Meier analysis). The combination of interferon beta and inosine was safe and well tolerated but did not provide any additional benefit on accumulation of disability compared with interferon beta alone. We conclude that endogenous neuroprotective mechanisms recently identified in multiple sclerosis are complex and uric acid does not reflect the entire story.
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PMID:Boosting endogenous neuroprotection in multiple sclerosis: the ASsociation of Inosine and Interferon beta in relapsing- remitting Multiple Sclerosis (ASIIMS) trial. 2020 Jan 98


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