IVIG treats mouse model of multiple sclerosis by Treg upregulation

Paris, France -

It has previously been reported that immunoglobulins play a fundamental role in stem cell mobilization. It is also known that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) possesses numerous anti-inflammatory properties. In a recent paper (Ephrem et al. Expansion of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells by intravenous immunoglobulin: a critical factor in controlling experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Blood. 2007 Oct 11) the use of IVIG for treatment of EAE, which is the mouse model of multiple sclerosis was reported.

What was interesting about this paper was the finding that IVIG administration not only inhibited disease progression, but was associated with an increase in the number of T regulatory cells. This is very interesting since previous immune modulatory mechanisms were previously hypothesized to be based on Fc receptor gamma-mediated activities.

Antibody-mediated depletion of T regulatory cells prior to IVIG administration resulted in no effect of IVIG on protection.

The investigators further demonstrated that IVIG activated "natural" T regulatory cells (ie pre-existing ones) and did not induce generation of new ones.

This study supports the possible use of IVIG as an adjuvant to other strategies that stimulate T regulatory cell activity.