Abstract
The aim of this study has been to check the influence of autoimmune response to neurodegeneration caused by MPTP intoxication in mice. MPTP quite selectively destroys dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra that leads to dopamine depletion in striatum and to decrease in the number of dopaminergic cells. Before intoxication with MPTP, C57Bl mice received myelin protein MOG 35-55 with Freund adjuvant (CFA) that caused autoimmune response – an autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). On the 6th day following immunization mice revealed first symptoms of EAE and were injected with MPTP. The dopamine level was measured after next 3 and 7 days. Mice suffering from EAE and intoxicated with MPTP showed less dopamine depletion than mice receiving only MPTP (without previous MOG immunization). The dopamine content decrease was by 35% and 20% less in these mice on the 3rd and 7th day respectively. Our findings suggest that autoimmune reaction in the cns may play a protective role towards neurons damaged by other factors.