Should the acronym of an italicized title be set in italics?

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook. For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook.

Yes. If you use an acronym in place of an italicized title, italicize the acronym, as shown in the example below:

In his recent book, Ammon Shea recounts his experience reading through the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).