Beneficial Effect of Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells Pulsed with MOG Autoantigen in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Summary Background Treatment with tolerogenic dendritic cells (Tol DC ) is a promising, cell‐based strategy to regulate autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis ( MS ) in an antigen‐specific way. This technique involves the use of Tol DC from MS patients cultured in the presence of vitamin D 3 (VitD3) and pulsed with myelin peptides to induce a stable hyporesponsiveness in myelin‐specific autologous T cells. Aim The purpose of this study was to analyze the in vivo effect of VitD3‐Tol DC treatment on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an animal model of MS . Methods Bone marrow‐derived Tol DC cultured in the presence of VitD3 and pulsed with peptide 40–55 of the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein ( MOG 40–55 ) were administrated preventively, preclinically, and therapeutically to EAE ‐induced mice. Results We found that VitD3‐Tol DC ‐ MOG treatment showed a beneficial effect, not only decreasing the incidence of the disease but also reducing the severity of the clinical signs mediated by induction of regulatory T cells (Treg), as well as IL ‐10 production and reduction of Ag‐specific lymphoproliferation. Our results support VitD3‐Tol DC ‐peptide(s) treatment as a potential strategy to restore tolerance in autoimmune diseases such as MS .