GENETIC-ANALYSIS OF SUSCEPTIBILITY TO THEILERS MURINE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS VIRUS-INDUCED DEMYELINATING DISEASE IN THE SWR STRAIN

SWR/J mice are susceptible to immune-mediated central (CNS) demyelinat ion following infection by Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (T MEV). SWR/J susceptibility is genetically dominant, when outcrossed to resistant H-2(b) strains. Non-H-2 differences between C57BL/6 and C57 L/J (both H-2(b)) alter effects of 'susceptibility' genes, especially H-2(q), from SWR/J. Genetic analysis of differential susceptibility to demyelination between SWR/J and C57L/J indicates that one copy of H-2 (q) is sufficient for disease, and that SWR/J mice carry a non-H-2 gen e which can lead to disease in the absence of H-2(q). Differential sus ceptibility between SWR/J and C57BL/6 is determined by a single non-H- 2 locus, which may or may not be the same as that differing between SW R/J and C57L/J.