Complete Freund's adjuvant induces experimental autoimmune myocarditis by enhancing IL-6 production during initiation of the immune response.

CFA used with myocarditogenic peptide twice is required to induce EAM in both A/J and Balb/c mice. Although IFA and TiterMax induce antibody responses, only CFA preferentially induced autoantigen-specific responses. CFA expands monocytes in the heart and in the spleen. IL-6 signaling is required during short window around primary immunization to induce EAM. In addition, IL-6 deficient mice resistance to EAM could be reversed by injecting IL-6 around first immunization. IL-6 expands dendritic cell and monocytic populations and ultimately leads to a robust T-cell driven immune response in CFA immunized mice.