Vaccination against autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE): Attenuated autoimmune T lymphocytes confer resistance to induction of active EAE but not to EAE mediated by the intact T lymphocyte line

Abstract

Autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) can be induced in genetically susceptible rats by active immunization against myelin basic protein (BP) or by passive transfer of anti‐BP lymphocytes. We have developed in vitro lines of T lymphocytes reactive only against BP that produce EAE upon i.v. inoculation of syngeneic rats. The object of the present study was to learn whether attenuated anti‐BP line cells could be used to vaccinate rats against passive as well as active EAE. We inoculated rats i.v. with anti‐BP line cells that were attenuated by irradiation or treatment by mitomycin C. A single inoculation was sufficient to protect about 70% of rats from subsequent EAE induced actively. However, even repeated vaccination could not protect against EAE mediated by passive transfer of anti‐BP line cells. Thus, attenuated cells of EAE effector lines cannot vaccinate against the autoreactive effects of preformed effector T lymphocytes.