VIRUS ENCODING AN ENCEPHALITOGENIC PEPTIDE PROTECTS MICE FROM EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS

The association of viral infections with autoimmune central nervous sy stem (CNS) diseases such as post-infectious encephalomyelitis and poss ibly multiple sclerosis (MS) prompted the investigation to understand how virus infection could modulate autoimmune responses. Recombinant v accinia viruses encoding an encephalitogenic portion of myelin basic p rotein (MBP) were evaluated in an animal model for human demyelinating disease, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), We have deter mined that mice vaccinated with recombinant viruses encoding an enceph alitogenic region of MBP were protected from EAE. In vivo depletion of CD8(+) T cells did not abrogate this protection, suggesting lack of r egulation by this cell type. These studies demonstrate that virus infe ction may be a means to modulate immune responsiveness to CNS disease.