Neuroendocrine modulation of chronic relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: a critical role for the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis

Murine relapsing EAE can be profoundly suppressed by restraint stress (RST) administered beginning prior to neuroantigen immunization. This study determined what hormone pathway(s) mediate disease suppression. Our results showed that nadolol (NAD), a β 2-adrenergic antagonist, did not reverse the RST-induced suppression of EAE. However, administration of either RU486 or aminoglutethimide, which block the action of peripheral glucocorticoids, resulted in a partial reversal of EAE suppression. Administration of exogenous corticosterone mimicked the effects of RST, in terms of suppression of EAE, decrease in lymphoid cell numbers and decrease in Th1 cytokine production. Therefore, the HPA axis plays a more profound role in the RST-induced suppression of EAE than does the sympathetic nervous system.