A neuropathological analysis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis with predominant brain stem and cerebellar involvement and differences between active and passive induction.

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an autoimmune demyelinating disease that can be induced in a variety of animal species and which is commonly used as an animal model of multiple sclerosis. In rodent EAE models, the clinical disease is typified by ascending paralysis; however, other clinical patterns can also be observed by inducing disease with particular peptides of myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) or myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein. Here we describe EAE induced in C3H/HeJ mice by inoculation with residues 190-209 of PLP. This form of EAE is manifested clinically by a movement disorder, with axial rotation of the head and trunk. Histologically, this form of EAE is characterized by predominant cerebellar or brain stem involvement, depending on whether EAE is induced by active immunization with the PLP peptide, or by passive transfer of T cells specific for the peptide. The inflammatory cell infiltrate is composed of polymorphonuclear cells and mononuclear cells. This rotatory form of EAE may be a useful model for studying the neuropathological characteristics of multiple sclerosis affecting the brain stem and cerebellum.