| Abstract: | We showed previously by using imprint electroimmunofixation that the oligoclonal IgG in sera and CSF from chronic relapsing EAE in guinea pigs were specific to spinal cord and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We now show that most oligoclonal IgG bands are directed predominantly against isolated myelin basic protein (MBP). Activity to the latter could be removed from sera or CSF by absorption with MBP but not with histone or lysozyme. The oligoclonal IgG reacted weakly with isolated proteolipid apoprotein, and lacked reactivity to myelin-associated glycoprotein. When the oligoclonal IgG activity to myelin proteins was removed from the sera by absorption with a preparation of delipidated myelin before imprint electroimmunofixation, a few bands in some sera still reacted with whole spinal cord homogenate. These results indicate that, in some sera, a part of the oligoclonal IgG was directed against non-myelin proteins or lipids. In contrast to chronic relapsing EAE, CSF oligoclonal IgG from patients with multiple sclerosis showed no reactivity against human brain homogenate, whole myelin, delipidated myelin, and MBP in imprint electroimmunofixation. |
