Screening of several H-2 congenic mouse strains identified H-2(q) mice as highly susceptible to MOG-induced EAE with minimal adjuvant requirement

We identified H-2(q) as a susceptible genotype for MOG-induced EAE by syste matic screening of a series of H-2 congenic B10 mouse strains. A series of H-2(q)-bearing strains with divergent gene backgrounds were subsequently in vestigated. DBA/1 mice were highly susceptible to MOG(1-125)- and MOG(79-96 )-induced EAE in the absence of pertussis toxin. Immunisation with MOG(1-12 5) and MOG(79-96) induced an autoreactive T-cell response in DBA/1 mice. Br ain histopathology revealed T-cell and macrophage-infiltrated lesions with associated demyelination. The important features which make this an appropr iate model of human disease are high sensitivity to MOG and dependence of a n immunodominant peptide region homologous to that implicated in multiple s clerosis. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.