Ultrastructural characterization of mitochondrial damage in experimental autoimmune neuritis

Abstract Data are sparse about mitochondrial damage in GBS and in its most frequently employed animal model, experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN). We here characterized changes in mitochondrial content and morphology at different time points during EAN by use of ultrastructural imaging and immunofluorescent labelling. Histological examination revealed that demyelinated axons and their adjacent Schwann cells showed reduced mitochondrial content and remaining mitochondria appeared swollen with greater diameter in Schwann cells and unmyelinated axons. Our findings indicate that in EAN, particularly mitochondria in Schwann cells are damaged. Further studies are warranted to address whether these changes are amenable to novel, mitoprotective treatments.