Compositions and methods for modulating leukocyte adhesion to brain endothelial cells

In a method for treating chronic inflammatory brain disease, the improvement comprising administering a therapeutically effective dosage of a reagent that inhibits leukocyte cell surface receptor VLA-4 from binding to a brain endothelial adhesion molecule VCAM-1.

A method of treating a pathology associated with an accumulation of leukocytes in the central nervous system of a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition comprising a reagent chosen from the group consisting of an antibody, an antibody fragment thereof and a peptide, which reagent is capable of inhibiting binding of leukocyte cell surface receptor VLA-4 to brain endothelial cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1, and a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier, thereby alleviating the pathology associated with an accumulation of leukocytes in the central nervous system of the subject.

A method of treating a pathology associated with an accumulation of leukocytes in the central nervous system of a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition for inhibiting or ameliorating multiple sclerosis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis or meningitis, comprised of at least one reagent that is an antibody, a fragment thereof, or a peptide, which reagent inhibits binding of leukocyte cell surface receptor VLA-4 to brain endothelial adhesion molecule VCAM-1, and a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier, thereby treating the pathology associated with an accumulation of leukocytes in the central nervous system of the subject.

A method for treating multiple sclerosis, comprising administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a reagent chosen from the group consisting of comprising an antibody, an antibody fragment thereof and a peptide, which reagent is capable of inhibiting binding of leukocyte cell surface receptor VLA-4 to brain endothelial cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1, and a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier, thereby alleviating the pathological condition associated with multiple sclerosis.