Carbonyl iron when used as an adjuvant in vaccines can contributet to the induction of a multiple sclerosis like condition in animals. - GreenMedInfo Summary

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Dark Agouti rats immunized with spinal cord homogenate (SCH) and carbonyl iron (CI), as an adjuvant, develop severe hyperacute form of EAE. They succumb to EAE earlier and have higher clinical scores and lethality rate in comparison to counterparts immunized with SCH+complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). There is no difference in the number of cells or in histological presentation of the CNS infiltrates of rats immunized with the two adjuvants. However, there is more granulocytes, NK and NKT cells, and less CD4(+) T cells in the spinal cord infiltrates of SCH+CI-immunized animals. NO-generating enzyme inducible NO synthase (iNOS) have higher expression in spinal cord of SCH+CI-immunized rats, and this corresponds to more intensive nitrotyrosine formation in the CNS tissue of these rats. Abundant infiltration of granulocytes and NK cells into the CNS and excessive generation of peroxynitrite within the CNS of SCH+CI-immunized rats might account for the severe neurological deficits induced by immunization with CI. These factors should be closely examined in the fulminant forms of MS and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, as they could represent a promising targets for therapy.