Glucocorticoids (GCs) represent the standard treatment for acute disease bouts in multiple sclerosis
(MS) patients, for which methylprednisolone (MP) pulse therapy is the
most frequently used protocol. Here, we compared the efficacy of
therapeutic and preventive MP application in MOG(35-55)-induced
experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in C57BL/6 mice. When
administered briefly after the onset of the disease, MP efficiently
ameliorated EAE in a dose-dependent manner. Surprisingly, MP
administration around the time of immunization was contraindicated as it
even increased leucocyte infiltration into the CNS and worsened the
disease symptoms. Our analyses suggest that in the latter case an
incomplete depletion of peripheral T cells by MP triggers homeostatic
proliferation, which presumably results in an enhanced priming of
autoreactive T cells and causes an aggravated disease course. Thus, the
timing and selection of a particular GC derivative require careful
consideration in MS therapy.
This week I was moaning about EAEers because they do not use their animal models how the drugs are administered to MSers. So here they say that steroids used therapeutically after onset inhibited the severity of disease, which is what occurs in human MS, but if they give it at the time of induction it makes EAE worse. This was attributed to causing T cell proliferation that was not similarly found with dexamethosome, another steroid. So what does this say. That if you take steroids when you are not in an attack it makes your MS worse. Well I think we can eliminate this because it is not supported by what occurs in MSers. However the question comes, why ask this question in the first place? You do not go on steroids before you get the disease.