Pathogenic MOG-reactive CD8+ T cells require MOG-reactive CD4+ T cells for sustained CNS inflammation during chronic EAE

Abstract XIncreasing evidence supports a role for CD8+ T cells in multiple sclerosis. In an attempt to isolate the contribution of CD8+ T cells in a murine model of MS, we immunized mice with a dominant CD8 epitope MOG37–46, a truncated version of MOG35–55. The data presented here show mild disease induced with MOG37–46, characterized by lower clinical scores, a decrease in CNS infiltration and a decrease in microglial activation. CD8+ T cells reactive to MOG37–46 are pro-inflammatory and traffic to the CNS; however, the presence of CD4+ T cells elicits more severe disease and sustained inflammation of the CNS.