Effect of staphylococcal enterotoxin B injection on the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: influence of cytokine and inducible nitric oxide synthase production

Possible mechanisms involved in the protective effect of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) injection on the subsequent development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) were investigated. Only partial clonal deletion and anergy of V beta 8 + T-lymphocytes were documented after myelin basic protein immunization in SEE injected mice. Brain permeability was not influenced. Within the brain or during in vitro rechallenge assays SEB protected mice produced significantly more IL-10, IL-4, TNF-alpha and iNOS. It is suggested that the immune deviating effect of SEE may be involved in its EAE protective effect. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.