The role of cytokines in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model of the demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis. In EAE cytokines play a critical role in defining the Th1 or Th2 nature of the autoantigen directed immune response, and in propagating and regulating inflammation within the central nervous system. In this review we summarize some of the recent developments in the field of cytokine research that relate to this model of human disease, focusing principally on disease induced with the autoantigens myelin proteolipid protein and myelin oligodendrocyte protein.