Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis: effect of neonatal exposure to neuroantigen or neuroantigen immune cells on subsequent reactivity as adults
Willenborg, D.O.; Danta, G.
Clinical and Experimental Neurology 21: 226-231
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0196-6383 PMID: 3843222 Document Number: 247957
Neonatal Lewis rats are resistant to both active induction of EAE with neuroantigen and passive induction by transfer of immune cells. Actively sensitized neonates are, as adults, resistant to further active induction of disease, but are susceptible to passive induction with immune cells. Passively sensitized neonates are susceptible to active and passive disease as adults. In fact, actively sensitized adult animals which had received immune cells as neonates develop EAE much sooner than control animals, suggesting a memory response and the persistence of the transferred cells in the host. The cells persist for at least six months and these animals might be considered to be inapparent carriers of autoimmune disease.