T cell vaccination in monoclonal antibody-induced hyperacute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

Demyelinating inflammatory disease of the central nervous system-(CNS) can be a multifactorial process mediated by cellular and antibody-mediated immune processes. In rats, hyperacute disease progression and severe demyelination can be induced in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE)-diseased animals by injection of a monoclonal antibody, 8-18C5, specific for an oligodendrocyte cell surface glycoprotein. Here we demonstrate that this antibody-induced hyperacute EAE can be prevented by 'vaccination' with myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific T cells. Thus, the 8-18C5 antibody-mediated disease process is critically dependent on inflammatory processes induced by T lymphocytes and T cell vaccination is highly effective in preventing the development of demyelinating CNS lesions.