Oral treatment of mice with copolymer 1 (glatiramer acetate) results in the accumulation of specific Th2 cells in the central nervous system

Mucosal administration of copolymer I (Cop 1, Copaxone(R)), glatiramer acetate) suppresses experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), and is currently tested for its efficacy in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Here we demonstrate that oral treatment with Cop 1 induces, in mice, specific Th2 cells in the central nervous system (CNS), as manifested by their isolation from brains of actively sensitized Cop 1-fed mice, as well as, by the localization of orally induced Cop 1 specific suppressor cells in the brain, after their passive transfer to the periphery. Feeding with Cop 1 results in the accumulation in the CNS of cells that secrete Th2 cytokines in response to either Cop 1 or the autoantigen myelin basic protein (MBP), even in Th1 shifting environment, which consequently would lead to therapeutic effect in the MS diseased organ. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.