Dimethyl fumarate treatment induces adaptive and innate immune modulation independent of Nrf2

Abstract

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) (BG-12, Tecfidera) is a fumaric acid ester (FAE) that was advanced as a multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy largely for potential neuroprotection as it was recognized that FAEs are capable of activating the antioxidative transcription factor nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) pathway. However, DMF treatment in randomized controlled MS trials was associated with marked reductions in relapse rate and development of active brain MRI lesions, measures considered to reflect CNS inflammation. Here, we investigated the antiinflammatory contribution of Nrf2 in DMF treatment of the MS model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) and Nrf2-deficient (Nrf2−/−) mice were immunized with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) peptide 35–55 (p35–55) for EAE induction and treated with oral DMF or vehicle daily. DMF protected WT and Nrf2−/− mice equally well from development of clinical and histologic EAE. The beneficial effect of DMF treatment in Nrf2−/− and WT mice was accompanied by reduced frequencies of IFN-γ and IL-17–producing CD4+ cells and induction of antiinflammatory M2 (type II) monocytes. DMF also modulated B-cell MHC II expression and reduced the incidence of clinical disease in a B-cell–dependent model of spontaneous CNS autoimmunity. Our observations that oral DMF treatment promoted immune modulation and provided equal clinical benefit in acute EAE in Nrf2−/− and WT mice, suggest that the antiinflammatory activity of DMF in treatment of MS patients may occur through alternative pathways, independent of Nrf2.