Pathogenesis of early phase experimental allergic neuritis: DAILY MONITORING OF HUMORAL AND CELLULAR IMMUNE RESPONSE TO PERIPHERAL NERVE ANTIGEN

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Abstract
The role of humoral factors in the mechanism of demyelination has been the object of continuous interest. In the present study the role of the antibodies against a peripheral nerve antigenic protein fraction (PN-APF) was studied in the pathogenesis of experimental allergic neuritis (EAN). Blood samples were taken daily starting on the third day after the inoculation of the rabbits and control animals. The titers of anti-PN-APF antibodies were determined by the ELISA method from each sample. The stimulation response of the lymphocytes in a whole blood microculture to the same antigenic protein was also studied and the results are correlated to each other and to the severity of the clinical signs of the disease. At the time of the manifestation of the disease all of the 11 rabbits had measurable levels of antibodies against PN-APF. The stimulation response of the lymphocytes declined at the same time. However, the level of antibody titers and the rate of lymphocyte stimulation response during observation showed no correlation with the severity of the clinical signs. On the basis of the results obtained it seems probable that the antibodies against myelin antigens and lymphocyte stimulation constitute only two of the factors involved in demyelination in EAN.