J Neuroimmunol. 2004 Jan; 146(1-2): 144-52
Palaszynski KM, Loo KK, Ashouri JF, Liu H, Voskuhl RR.
Department of Neurology, Reed Neurological Research Center, University
of California Los Angeles, 710 Westwood Plaza, 90024, Los Angeles, CA,
USA
A gender difference prevails in some murine strains of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS).
Our results showed that castration of SJL males, a strain characterized by decreased susceptibility of males as compared to females, displayed increased disease severity.
In contrast, castration had no effect on disease in C57BL/6 males, a strain in which no gender difference in EAE is observed.
Regardless of whether endogenous androgens were protective in a given genetic background, supplemental androgen treatment was protective in gonadally intact males of both strains.
These data provide a basis for the novel therapeutic use of supplemental testosterone for men with MS.