Chapter 24 - Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in the Marmoset as a Translational Model for Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system leading to motoric and cognitive deficits. The etiology of MS is still unknown and, although treatments can temporarily halt the relapsing–remitting phase of the disease, no cure is available yet. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the preferred animal model for MS and has been induced in genetically susceptible rodent strains and in nonhuman primates. EAE in the marmoset closely resembles MS in clinical and pathological presentations. An important aspect of the marmoset EAE model is the presence of lesions in both the white and gray matter of the brain, which are characterized by demyelination, inflammation, and oxidative stress and damage, closely resembling MS. Another advantage of the marmoset is its natural infection with a lymphocryptovirus that is a homologue to Epstein–Barr virus, which is a dominant MS risk factor. Furthermore, EAE in marmosets can be used for translational research. We elaborate on these aspects in this chapter.