The immune response against an encephalitogenic fragment of guinea pig basic protein in the Lewis and Brown Norway strains or rat.

Lewis rats which have Ir-EAE gene develop EAE after challenge with either GPBP or GPEF, a 42-residue fragment. BN rats which lack the Ir gene do not develop EAE after challenge with these proteins. The immune response against GPEF was compared in these two strains of rats. It was found that Le rats produce small amounts of antibody and a cell-mediated immune response against GPEF; in contrast BN rats did neither. These findings support the concept that the Ir-EAE gene exerts its effect by controlling the immune response against GPEF.