Tanshinone IIA attenuates demyelination and promotes remyelination in A. cantonensis-infected BALB/c mice

Background: Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection can cause demyelination in the central nervous system, and there is no effective treatment. Methods: We used dexamethasone, Tanshinone IIA (TSIIA) and Cryptotanshinone(Two traditional Chinese medicine monomers) in combination with albendazole (AB, a standard anti-helminthic compound) to observe their therapeutic effect on demyelination in A. cantonensis-infected mice. Luxol fast blue staining and electron microscope of myelin sheath, Oligodendrocyte (OL) number and myelin basic protein (MBP) expression in brain was detected in above groups. Results: TSIIA+AB facilitated OL proliferation and significantly increased both myelin sheath thickness and the population of small-diameter axons. In addition, TSIIA treatment inhibited the expression of inflammation-related factors (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, inducible nitric oxide synthase [iNOS]) rather than inhibiting eosinophil infiltration in brain. TSIIA also decreased microglial activation and shifted their phenotype from M1 to M2. Conclusions: Taken together, these results provide evidence that TSIIA combined with AB may be an effective treatment for demyelination caused by A. cantonensis infection and other demyelinating diseases.