Practical guide to the induction of relapsing progressive experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in the Biozzi ABH mouse

Biozzi ABH mice develop a reproducible, relapsing-remitting form of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) that becomes secondary progressive with disease duration. The relapses observed are T-cell dependent and can be inhibited by immune tolerance induction. In contrast the progressive neurodegeneration is T cell-independent and continues despite the re-induction of immune tolerance. Here we present a practical guide to EAE induction in the ABH mouse and approaches used to control relapses such that both autoimmune-independent and autoimmune-dependent mechanisms of neurodegeneration can be explored. Disease-related weight changes are associated with blood-brain barrier dysfunction and clinical disease. A new method for detecting neurodegeneration is described along with new experimental details that will aid in the undertaking of studies in EAE in mice, with particularly emphasis on ABH mice. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.