A physiological mechanism preventing experimental allergic encephalitis.

Abstract

Autoimmunization has been assumed to be a factor in the etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS). MS, however, almost never occurs subsequent to brain injury. Thus, it was hypothesized that human serum contains a component capable of neutralizing the effect of the encephalitogenic protein (EP) when released by injury. Small amounts of human or rabbit serum added to the EP-adjuvant inoculum prevented the disease in guinea-pigs. Neither albumin, IgG, β-lipoprotein, serum lipids, including phosphatidyl-serine, pre-albumin, nor circulating antibodies, are implicated in the preventive effect of human or rabbit serum. Antigenic competition or enzymatic cleavage of the EP do not appear to be the mechanism involved. Haemocyanin, hovever, is capable of preventing EAE when injected together with, or separately from, the EP.