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Rabbits were immunised repeatedly with bovine brain galactocerebroside. Almost all animals developed overt polyradiculoneuropathy. Circulating IgG antibodies to galactocerebroside in the serum and deposits of IgG in the spinal roots were detectable weeks before definite clinical, morphological, and electrophysiological alterations occurred. The levels of IgG antibody titres to galactocerebroside did not correlate with the severity of the clinical disease and of nerve conduction slowing. Remyelination and a virtually complete recovery of nerve dysfunction occurred although circulating antibodies to galactocerebroside were still present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-Leu 7 monoclonal antibody (MAB), a marker of natural killer cells, and a human MAB to myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) from a patient with a demyelinating neuropathy specifically stained Schmidt-Lanterman incisures, paranodal and periaxonal regions in peripheral nerve myelin by immunocytochemistry on thin plastic sections, while compact myelin was labelled in paraffin-embedded material. Preabsorption studies indicated that the antigen recognised was a MAG epitope shared by MAG and Leu 7. In spinal cord both MABS bound to oligodendrocytes and a subclass of anterior horn cells. Our findings support the hypothesis that shared antigens between the nervous and the immune systems do exist in situ, which may be important in the pathogenesis of demyelinating neuropathies with monoclonal gammopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]