Farnesol induces protection against murine CNS inflammatory demyelination and modifies gut microbiome

Clin Immunol. 2021 Jun 3:108766. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2021.108766. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTFarnesol is a 15‑carbon organic isoprenol synthesized by plants and mammals with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective activities. We sought to determine whether farnesol treatment would result in protection against murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a well-established model of multiple sclerosis (MS). We compared disease progression and severity in C57BL/6 mice treated orally with 100 mg/kg/day farnesol solubilized in corn oil to corn-oil treated and untreated EAE mice. Farnesol significantly delayed the onset of EAE (by ~2 days) and dramatically decreased disease severity (~80%) compared to controls. Disease protection by farnesol was associated with a significant reduction in spinal cord infiltration by monocytes-macrophages, dendritic cells, CD4+ T cells, and a significant gut change microbiota composition, including a decrease in the Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio. The study suggests FOL could protect MS patients against CNS inflammatory demyelination by partially modulating the gut microbiome's composition.PMID:34091018 | DOI:10.1016/j.clim.2021.108766
Source: Clinical Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Source Type: research