Ocular nerve growth factor administration (oNGF) affects disease severity and inflammatory response in the brain of rats with experimental allergic encephalitis (EAE)

The rat acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model was used to investigate the effects of ocularly administered nerve growth factor (oNGF) on disease development and brain inflammation. It was found that oNGF affects clinical scores. However, EAE rats receiving oNGF treatment showed reduced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the cerebellum and the hippocampus, but not in the frontal cortex. These data confirm the ability of oNGF to counteract the effects of EAE in the brain and suggest a role for oNGF in the regulation of local inflammatory responses observed in the acute phase of EAE.