Acute and relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in IL-4- and alpha/beta T cell-deficient C57BL/6 mice

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis follows a chronic relapsing course in several inbred strains of mice. To address the role of T cells in recovery and relapse, the clinical course of EAE was compared in C57BL/6 (B6) normal and immunodeficient mice following active immunization with MOG p35-55 or adoptive transfer of encephalitogenic peptide-specific T cell lines. The course of actively-induced EAE in B6 wild-type and IL-4 -/- mice was similar. B6 IL-4 -/- mice recovered normally from acute passive EAE, but did not relapse in contrast to wild-type B6 mice. EAE was progressive in B6 RAG -/- and alpha/beta TCR -/- mice, but the disease course could be arrested by infusion of normal spleen cells. When non-activated MOG peptide-specific T cells were transferred to wild-type or alpha/beta TCR -/- mice, spontaneous disease ensued in the mutants only.