New approach to study of in vitro toxicity of multiple sclerosis and other sera.

The in vitro effects of MS and control sera were quantified by the measurement of radiolabel released from myelinated cultures of rat cerebellum and compared with a visual assessment of myelin damage. Radiolabel release gave a sensitive index of serum effects in vitro which was free of the score assignment decisions that are associated with the visual assessment of myelin damage. Examination of the patterns of radiolabel release elicited by MS and control sera on cultures labelled with either L-[5-3H]tryptophan or galacto-D-[6-3H]cerebroside indicates that MS serum effects are not simply a stronger expression of the weak control serum effects.