Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Induced by Various Antigens of the Central Nervous System: Overview and Relevance to Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a widely accepted model for multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the human central nervous system (CNS). EAE is also autoimmune inflammatory disease of the CNS, which, in its chronic form, shares clinicopathological features with the human disease. It is mediated by CD4+ T cells and can be induced in susceptible laboratory animals by immunization with white matter tissue homogenate or myelin components emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant. Over the years, various models of EAE have emerged, depending on the animal species, the route and protocol of immunization, and the antigen used to induce the disease. This chapter describes and compares different models of murine chronic EAE, including myelin basic protein (MBP)-induced EAE, proteolipid protein (PLP)-induced EAE, and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced EAE. It emphasizes the relevance of the EAE model induced by various encephalitogens, in the context of the specificity of T-cell reactivities observed in MS.