Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis: the balance between encephalitogenic T lymphocytes and demyelinating antibodies determines size and structure of demyelinated lesions.
The effect of a circulating monoclonal antibody recognizing an antigen located on the surface of myelin sheaths (myelin/oligodendroglia glycoprotein, MOG) on clinical and histopathological expression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) was tested in a model of EAE passively transferred by monospecific T lymphocytes. Intravenous injection of anti-MOG antibody at the onset of the disease massively augmented clinical impairment as well as primary demyelination. The structure of the CNS lesions depended on the balance between encephalitogenic T cells and anti-MOG antibody: when EAE was induced with high numbers of T cells, circulating anti-MOG antibody resulted in ubiquitous perivenous demyelination in the spinal cord and medulla oblongata. On the contrary, focal confluent demyelinated lesions were observed in animals injected with low numbers of T cells (even as few as 10(4] and anti-MOG antibody. Our studies, thus, indicate that the formation of inflammatory demyelinating lesions may be due to a synergistic action of cellular and humoral immune mechanisms.
Lassmann
H
H
Neurological Institute, University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.
Brunner
C
C
Bradl
M
M
Linington
C
C
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006023:Glycoproteins; D009185:Myelin Proteins