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Brain Protection Conferred by Long-Term Administration of 2-(2-Benzofuranyl)-2-Imidazoline Against Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

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Abstract

Our previous studies showed that 2-(2-benzofuranyl)-2-imidazoline (2-BFI), a ligand to type 2 imidazoline receptor, was protective against brain and spinal cord injury caused by experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). In the present study, we investigated the effect of long-term administration of 2-BFI and the dose-dependent response relationship of long-term administration of 2-BFI with neuroprotection. Treatment with 2-BFI at doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg for 14 days significantly reduced hind limb paralysis and the severity of EAE compared with the EAE control group. Long-term use of 2-BFI was not only safe to mice, but also dose-dependently reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, Interferon-γ and Interleukin-17A, compared with the EAE control group. Expressions of neuronal injury markers, including cytochrome c, AIF and β-APP, were also reduced significantly in response to long-term 2-BFI treatment. Together, these results provided new evidence to demonstrate that 2-BFI is a safe and effective candidate for further development as a therapeutic drug for treatment of multiple sclerosis.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by research Grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81070960) and Zhejiang Natural Science Foundation (Y2090923) and Zhejiang Provincial Key Discipline-Neurobiology (437201203).

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Authors declare no competing financial interests exist concerning the content of this document.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital and Research Institute of Experimental Neurobiology of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China

    Ying-Biao Zhu, Nian-Ge Xia, Yuan-Tao Zhang, Xin-Shi Wang, Shan-Shan Liang, Wei-Yong Yin, Hui-Qin Xu, Sheng-Tao Hou & Rong-Yuan Zheng

  2. Department of Biology, South University of Science of Technology of China, 1088 Xueyuan Blvd, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China

    Sheng-Tao Hou

  3. Department of Neurology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China

    Ying-Biao Zhu

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  1. Ying-Biao Zhu
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Correspondence to Sheng-Tao Hou or Rong-Yuan Zheng.

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Zhu, YB., Xia, NG., Zhang, YT. et al. Brain Protection Conferred by Long-Term Administration of 2-(2-Benzofuranyl)-2-Imidazoline Against Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. Neurochem Res 40, 572–578 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-014-1502-0

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