Myelin antigen load influences antigen presentation and severity of central nervous system autoimmunity

• Aim: to analyze the impact of self-antigen load on organ specific autoimmunity
• Transgenic mice characterized by CNS hypermyelination were induced with EAE.
• Transgenic mice with hypermyelinated CNS show EAE pathology with brain involvement.
• Larger myelin content affects an increase in the number of CNS resident microglia.
• Larger self-antigen load (myelin) results in greater severity of autoimmunity (EAE).

This study was designed to understand the impact of self-antigen load on manifestation of organ specific autoimmunity. Using a transgenic mouse model characterized by CNS hypermyelination, we show that larger myelin content results in greater severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis attributable to an increased number of microglia within the hypermyelinated brain. We conclude that a larger self-antigen load affects an increase in number of tissue resident antigen presenting cells (APCs) most likely due to compensatory antigen clearance mechanisms thereby enhancing the probability of productive T cell–APC interactions in an antigen abundant environment and results in enhanced severity of autoimmune disease.