Passive transfer studies in Guillain-Barré polyneuropathy.

Serum and lymphocytes from patients with acute Guillain-Barré polyneuropathy were injected into rat sciatic nerves. Serum from 13 of 17 patients produced perivenular demyelination, associated with lymphocytic infiltration. The pattern of demyelination differed from that caused by experimental allergic neuritis serum. The level of serum demyelinating activity as greatest early in the disease and then decreased. The demyelinating factor was heat-labile but not complement-dependent. Circulating lymphocytes did not cause demyelination in eight patients.