Induction and reinduction of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in DA rats: The effect of age and encephalitogen

Susceptibility to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) was investigated in DA rats of both sexes, aged 5, 8 or 27 weeks. Guinea pig or Lewis rat spinal cords (GPSC or RSC) emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant were used for both induction and reinduction of EAE. The results showed that: a) sex has no influence on clinical signs of EAE in young DA rats aged 5 or 8 weeks; b) susceptibility to EAE induction increases with age; c) RSC is a more potent encephalitogen than GPSC; d) GPSC is a more effective antigen for anti-MBP antibody production than RSC; e) anti-MBP antibody levels are not correlated with clinical score of EAE; f) EAE can be reinduced in 27-week-old rats if RSC is used for induction and/or reinduction; and g) anti-MBP antibodies are not related to resistance to EAE reinduction in DA rats.