Peripheral nerve demyelination in rabbits after inoculation with Freund's complete adjuvant alone or in combination with lipid haptens.

The pathology of demyelination in rabbits with experimental allergic neuritis (EAN) or galactocerebroside-induced neuritis was compared to that in rabbits inoculated with either an emulsion of lipid haptens (gangliosides, lecithin and cholesterol) and Freund's complete adjuvant or Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) alone. In rabbits inoculated with bovine peripheral myelin in FCA, perivenular demyelination associated with infiltrates of lymphocytes and macrophages occurred after 30 days, while those animals inoculated with galactocerebroside (GC) in Freund's adjuvant did not develop lesions until 60-90 days. GC rabbits had demyelination and severe nerve edema without cellular infiltrates. In rabbits inoculated with FCA alone, demyelination was restricted to ganglia and proximal nerve roots. Myelin basic protein (MBP) and GC antibodies from EAN, GC and lipid hapten-inoculated rabbits were detected by ELISA in sera at all post-inoculation time points. Appreciable P0 and P2 antibody titers were detected only in EAN animals. The results indicate that Freund's complete adjuvant alone or in combination with lipid haptens is capable of producing neuropathic effects in the rabbit independent of those produced by EAN or galactocerebroside neuritis.