Acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. Myelin basic protein-reactive T cells in the circulation and in meningeal infiltrates.

MBP-reactive early T cells were determined simultaneously in the circulation and in inflammatory cells from the meninges of guinea pigs with acute EAE. In addition, early and late T cells as well as B cells were estimated in both compartments. Within the circulation, early T cells were found to decrease at the onset of clinical signs, and MBP-reactive early T cells were significantly higher than in normals. Different changes were found in inflammatory cells from the meninges. In this cell population, early T cells were increased but did not show significant, further elevation after incubation with MBP. This may indicate that the majority of early T cells in meningeal infiltrates had been previously activated by MBP in vivo.