Experimental demyelination of nerve induced by serum of patients with neuropathy and an anti‐MAG IgM M‐protein

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Abstract
Demyelination of feline sciatic nerve was induced by intraneural injection of serum from three patients with neuropathy and an IgM M-protein that reacted with myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG). Demyelimtion exceeded that induced by serum from 18 other individuals, including six IgM M-proteins unreactive with MAG. The myelholytic effect required active hurnan complement and was abolished by exposure of serum to homogenate o human peripheral nerve that removed 90% of the M-protein. Immunofluorescence studies demonstrated deposition of the injected M-protein and complement on the surface of myelin sheaths, implying that the M-protein reacted with epitopes of myelin exposed to the extracellular space.