The ups and downs of EAE

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is considered the animal disease model for multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans. However, EAE is an acute disease whereas MS is a chronic disease. The on-off nature in both diseases of autoimmune reactivity suggests a regulatory response by the host, a response which can effect the autoreactive T cell by modulating-up or modulating-down. This review discusses various aspects of this regulation, seen after administration of autoantigen, of antibody directed at the T cell receptor (TcR), and of fragments of the TcR itself.