The effect of whole-body, repetitive, inhomogeneous static magnetic field-exposure on the symptoms of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice

J Complement Integr Med. 2014 Jan 14;11(1):19-25. doi: 10.1515/jcim-2013-0055.

Abstract

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a model for human multiple sclerosis (MS) in rodents. Static magnetic field (SMF)-exposure was shown to be beneficial in specific cases of inflammatory background, where it suppresses symptoms. The null-hypothesis was that animals with induced EAE exposed to SMF would show different seriousness of symptoms, than those in the sham-exposed control group. Three replicated series of repetitive, 30 min/day whole-body exposure to SMF with 477 mT peak-to-peak magnetic induction and 48 T/m lateral induction gradient was tested on female CSJLF1 mice with a mild, mouse spinal cord homogenate emulsion-induced EAE. Conventional scores of the animal response to EAE were compared between sham- and SMF-exposed groups of animals. Following pilot test we used 18 animals per group. Primary outcome measure was the daily group average of standard EAE scores. Results show that SMF-exposure has a strong, reproducible, and significantly beneficial effect up to 51.82% (p<0.001) over sham-exposure on the symptoms of EAE in the course of the 25 days of the experiment. This study aimed to build experimental research foundation for a later therapy option by applying SMF-exposure in the clinical management of MS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / physiopathology
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / therapy*
  • Female
  • Freund's Adjuvant / pharmacology
  • Magnetic Fields*
  • Mice
  • Paralysis / physiopathology
  • Paralysis / therapy
  • Spinal Cord / physiopathology

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Freund's Adjuvant