Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in aged F344 rats.
Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) was produced in 2- to 24-mo.-old F344 rats by active immunization and by passive transfer of lymphoid cells (adoptive immunization) from young rats. With both methods, some 24-mo.-old rats had a reduced ability to develop this autoimmune disease. However, the immunological deficit was related to incidental serious diseases rather than to old age per se. The aged F344 rat is not a suitable model for comparing EAE to multiple sclerosis in man because the decreased incidence of multiple sclerosis after the age of 50 is not related to other serious illnesses.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology*; D007110:Immunity, Active; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344 / Q000276:immunology*; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains / Q000276:immunology*