Highlights
- •EAE of all models has the most features in common with MS.
- •EAE can be used to identify disease mechanisms and generate therapeutics for MS.
- •There has been a relative failure to translate therapies from EAE to MS.
- •Experimental design by basic scientists contributes to lack of translation.
- •Importantly, actions of Neurologists and Pharma hamper the translational process.
Abstract
Although multiple sclerosis is a uniquely human disease, many pathological features
can be induced in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) models following
induction of central nervous system-directed autoimmunity. Whilst it is an imperfect
set of models, EAE can be used to identify pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutics.
However, the failure to translate many treatments from EAE into human benefit has
led some to question the validity of the EAE model. Whilst differences in biology
between humans and other species may account for this, it is suggested here that the
failure to translate may be considerably influenced by human activity. Basic science
contributes to failings in aspects of experimental design and over-interpretation
of results and lack of transparency and reproducibility of the studies. Importantly
issues in trial design by neurologists and other actions of the pharmaceutical industry
destine therapeutics to failure and terminate basic science projects. However animal,
particularly mechanism-orientated, studies have increasingly identified useful treatments
and provided mechanistic ideas on which most hypothesis-led clinical research is based.
Without EAE and other animal studies, clinical investigations will continue to be
“look-see” exercises, which will most likely provide more misses than hits and will
fail the people with MS that they aim to serve.
Abbreviations:
EAE (experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis), MS (multiple sclerosis), PwMS (person with MS)Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 14, 2014
Accepted:
May 5,
2014
Received in revised form:
May 1,
2014
Received:
January 21,
2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
