Multiple encephalitogenic peptides of myelin basic protein in A.CA mice.

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. It is mediated by T cells and is an animal model for the human disease multiple sclerosis. In most mouse strains that are susceptible to induction of EAE by myelin basic protein, a dominant peptide of myelin basic protein is recognized by encephalitogenic T cells. We report here the susceptibility of the A.CA strain (H-2f) to myelin basic protein induced EAE and that multiple peptides of myelin basic protein (1-11, 9-20, and 87-99) can induce disease in these mice. The finding that multiple epitopes of the same self-antigen can elicit EAE in an inbred strain of mouse raises the possibility of more heterogeneity in encephalitogenic peptides of the putative autoantigen in human disease than previous studies have suggested.