Vra4 congenic rats with allelic differences in the class II transactivator gene display altered susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
MHC2TA is associated with differential MHC molecule expression and susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and myocardial infarction.
measurement method: all animals were anesthetized by isoflurane at 6-8 weeks of age and subjected to unilateral avulsion of the left L3-L5 ventral roots, they were killed and spinal cord examined; serial transverse sections of L4 were cut and examined, degree of MHC class II expression and infiltration of CD3 positive cells was determined