Plasma immunoglobulin responses and disease severity in chronic relapsing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

Analysis of suppressor activity in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis inhibited by graft-versus-host reaction

The induction of local graft-versus-host reaction (GvH) prior to the encephalitogenic challenge resulted in the conversion of acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) to the chronic-like EAE. This inhibitory effect of GvH on EAE development was cyclophosphamide (CY) sensitive. Cell-free supernatants of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) isolated from guinea pigs with chronic-like EAE and during recovery from EAE showed suppressor activity on the in vitro proliferative response of myelin basic protein (MBP) sensitized PBL. The appearance of anaphylactic anti-MBP antibodies and a change in the ratio complement fixing: haemagglutinating (CF/HA) antibodies was also registered.

Autoantibody responses in the cerebrospinal fluid of guinea pigs with chronic relapsing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

We report the use of the ELISA technique to measure IgG specific for whole cord, myelin, myelin basic protein and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of Strain 13 guinea pigs in different stages of chronic relapsing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (CR-EAE). Specific antibody levels to all 4 antigen preparations were related to the severity of clinical signs, with the highest levels of IgG in the CSF of guinea pigs in relapse or in stable chronic disease. Total IgG levels in the CSF, though elevated throughout the course of CR-EAE, did not show any association with the category of disease. Control animals inoculated with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) alone showed CSF IgG levels specific for M. tuberculosis that were not significantly different from those in animals with chronic EAE, indicating that CFA may itself induce a late-acting increase in blood-brain barrier permeability.