Pioglitazone reduces the transmigratory capacity of activated T cells in an in-vitro model of the blood-brain-barrier

The peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARg) belongs to a group of ligand-activated transcription factors expressed in lymphocytes, monocytes, dendritic cells and endothelial cells. Several antiinflammatory and antiproliferative effects of PPARg agonists on lymphocytes from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have already been characterized. Interestingly, oral treatment with PPARg agonists like pioglitazone ameliorate the clinical course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS. In pioglitazone-treated animals, brains and spinal cord sections exhibit greatly decrea…