AQP4 (201-220)

AQP4 (201-220) breaks through immune tolerance and activates specific T cells. The AQP4 (201-220)-specific T cells directionally migrate to the regions with high AQP4 expression in the central nervous system (CNS), directly kill AQP4⁺ astrocytes or activate glial cells, thereby triggering autoimmune inflammatory damage.

Clinical score: 0 point: No symptoms of any disease; 1 point: Loss of tail tension (tail drooping, no voluntary movement); 2 points: Impaired ability to turn over (unable to voluntarily turn from supine to prone position); 3 points: Paraplegia of both hind limbs (hind limbs unable to support body weight, dragging while walking); 4 points: Quadriplegia (loss of motor function in both forelimbs and hind limbs); 5 points: Moribund state (no voluntary activity, weak breathing). Clinical symptoms start to appear around day 11 after immunization (mostly 1 or 2 points), reach the peak around day 18 (scores are mostly 2-3 points), and enter the recovery period on day 30 (scores decrease); if the clinical score is ≥1 point, it indicates successful modeling.
Histological analysis: Scattered or focal inflammatory lesions appear in the gray-white matter junction area; inflammatory lesions appear in the diencephalic midline area (near the third ventricle) and around the fourth ventricle; inflammatory infiltration appears in the inner layer of the retina, accompanied by loss of retinal ganglion cells.
Cellular analysis: Significant infiltration of CD45⁺ immune cells and CD4⁺ T cells in the CNS (brain, spinal cord, retina), and an increase in the number of Iba-1 and GAFP positive cells in the lesion area.
Molecular changes: Decreased expression of AQP4; increased expression of IFN-γ, IL-17, CXCL10, and CCL20.