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Multiple sclerosis is the major demyelinating disease
in humans. Autoreactive immune cells recognize the myelin
sheath and axon as foreign. The infiltrating immune cells
trigger episodes of damage and regeneration to the myelin
sheath and nerve axon. Clinical symptoms of neurological
dysfunction are concomitant with pathology. EAE in certain
rodent strains has been useful to study MS and to investigate
novel treatments for this debilitating disease.
Mice and rats are the two most commonly
used animals models of EAE. EAE in both species is greatly
influenced by several factors including: gender, strain
(MHC haplotype), and age. In rats, EAE is typically monophasic.
In mice, EAE is chronic and relapsing in certain transgenic
mouse strains (ie. NOD, B10.PL, and SJL). The severity
of actively induced disease is correlated with strain
MHC haplotype and encephalitogenic peptide sequence.
By example, SJL mice can be induced with proteolipoprotein
(PLP) 139-151aa or myelin-oligodendrocyte-glycoprotein
(MOG) 1-9aa; while B10.PL mice appear to best respond
to PLP 43-64 or MOG 87-106aa.
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An overview of model characteristics
is listed below:
| Inflammation |
Inflammation |
| Primary Demyelination |
Axonal Degeneration |
| Axonal Sparing |
Secondary demyelination |
| Chronic Relapsing |
Variable Hemorrhage |
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