Studies of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in old mice

In old BALB/c mice susceptibility to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) with bovine proteolipid apoprotein (PLP) is reduced significantly. Eleven of 21 8-week BALB/c mice developed clinical signs of EAE following injection of PLP but only two of 18 12-month BALB/c mice and one of 19 24-month BALB/c mice showed clinical signs of EAE. Susceptibility to EAE induced by either PLP or bovine myelin basic protein (MBP) also was reduced in old SJL mice. However, the aging process had no effect on the clinical signs of EAE in both strains, if EAE appeared. Some old BALB/c mice developed histologic EAE with significant demyelination without clinical signs. Lymphocyte proliferative response to mitogens and antigens, and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, also were depressed in the aged mice (24-month BALB/c and 18-month SJL) probably due to the functional defect of T cells, since the function of macrophages as antigen-presenting cells was not affected in the old mice. PLP-sensitized spleen cells (SPC) from 8-week mice were able to adoptively transfer EAE to young and aged recipients. PLP-sensitized T cells from 8-week mice, reconstituted with young or old monocytes, also were able to transfer EAE into young mice. In contrast, spleen cells from aged mice did not induce EAE, so the reduction of EAE susceptibility was mainly explained by the failure of T cell activity. This T cell defect was not restored by exogenous IL-2.