An experimental model of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis that shows regional variation in gliosis, remyelination, axonal and neuronal loss

Multiple sclerosis (MS) represents a considerable challenge to experimentally model due to its twin pathologies of inflammatory demyelination and neurodegeneration along with its multifocal and multiphasic nature. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Biozzi ABH mice has previously been shown to reproduce many clinical features also found in secondary progressive MS. In this study we sought to characterise the pathology of chronic EAE in ABH mice. In addition to marked gliosis, we report substantial demyelination, remyelination and axonal and neuronal loss. Together with the clinical pattern, our findings identify chronic EAE as an excellent model of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.