Using three different autoimmune disease models − myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) 139-151-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in SJL mice; myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) 35-55-induced EAE in C57Bl/6 mice; and cardiac myosin heavy chain-α (Myhc) 334-352-induced experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) in A/J mice − we demonstrated that the MHC class II dextramers were at least five-fold more sensitive than the tetramers, and their specificity was also superior [19]. This evidence concerns the gene PLP1 and autoimmune disease.