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Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an appropriate model for the study of the immunologic and pathologic mechanisms in multiple sclerosis (MS). According to the hygiene hypothesis, helminths can improve immunoregulation and have therapeutic effects on immune‐mediated diseases. In this study, we used Dicrocoelium dendriticum (Dicrocoeliidae, Platyhelminthes) eggs for the evaluation of their prophylactic and treatment effects on EAE disease. D. dendriticum eggs were extracted. Female C57BL/6 mice were immunized with the specific antigen MOG35−55, and then the egg extracts were utilized for prophylaxis and/or treatment. Clinical symptoms and other relevant parameters were assessed daily. The mRNA expression of transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β), interleukin‐10 (IL‐10), IL‐6, IL‐23 and IL‐17 were assessed with a real‐time polymerase chain reaction technique. Furthermore, secretion of TGF‐β and IL‐17 cytokines were determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Data indicated that clinical symptoms in prophylaxis and treatment groups were decreased significantly in comparison with the untreated control group (p <.001). Our results showed a significant decrease in IL‐17, as well as an increase in TGF‐β cytokine in the treatment group compared to the EAE control group (p <.01). Furthermore, in the prophylaxis and treatment groups, the mRNA expression of disease‐associated cytokines decreased and the mRNA expression of the anti‐inflammatory cytokines increased. In this study, the D. dendriticum egg ameliorates the clinical symptoms of the EAE model through the modulation of related cytokines of Th17 and Treg cells. Therefore, using this parasite egg could be a new treatment for MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed at investigating the impact of Dicrocoelium ova on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) treatment in C57BL6 mice. Methods and Results: Twenty‐eight C57BL/6 mice were assigned into four groups as PBS, prophylaxis (P), treatment1 (T1) and treatment2 (T2). Prior to induction of EAE in prophylaxis group and on days 7 and 18 in T1 and T2 groups, respectively, Dicrocoelium eggs were injected intraperitoneally to each mouse. The clinical score, weight changes and incidence time of EAE were recorded. IFN‐γ and IL‐4 expression is quantified on spleen cells. Also, histopathological study by (H&E) and Toluidine‐Blue (TB), and Luxol Fast Blue (LFB) were performed. The data were analysed using SPSS version 21. Mean disease scores were significantly lower in P and T1 groups than the PBS group (P =.01). IFN‐γ was lower in P and T1 groups than the PBS group. The highest level of IL‐4 was observed in T1 group. The total number of neuroglia cells of corpus callosum was similar in all groups, but the density increased in T1 group compared to the PBS group (P =.03). Conclusions: Dicrocoelium eggs have a great potential to stimulate immunomodulation towards treatment of EAE during the initial phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]