Search for antibodies to galactocerebroside in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid in human demyelinating disorders.

To determine if galactocerebroside (GalC) is a target antigen in the human demyelinating disorders multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and chronic demyelinating inflammatory polyneuropathy, we examined the serum and cerebrospinal fluid from patients with these disorders and from control subjects using four assay systems. In none of these assays could we detect significant differences in anti-GalC antibody titer between patients with demyelinating diseases and normal subjects or patients with other neurological disorders. Our data suggest that there is no humoral immune response to GalC in human demyelinating disorders.