Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis supernatant transfer activity (EAE-STA) in Lewis rats:immunobiologic and initial biochemical properties.

Supernatants derived from incubated lymph node cells (LNC) of Lewis rats sensitized to neuroantigen-adjuvant have the capacity to transfer experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) to syngeneic recipients. Sensitization of donors with guinea pig or rat spinal cord adjuvant by either of two routes of injection was effective in generating EAE supernatant transfer activity (EAE-STA). Despite transfer of typical EAE histopathologic lesions, which were intense and disseminated throughout the neuraxis in some animals, recipient animals invariably remained clinically well. Donor sensitization with purified myelin basic protein of guinea pig or rat origin was conspicuously ineffective in generating EAE-STA. Absorption studies revealed that EAE-STA was diminished after exposure to guinea pig or rat spinal cord or guinea pig or rat kidney, but it was not demonstrably reduced after absorption with neonatal rat spinal cord lacking encephalitogenic activity or with guinea pig or rat myelin basic protein or lysozyme. EAE-STA is stable at -20 degrees C/4 days, -70 degrees C/2 days, 4 degrees C/18 hr, and 56 degrees C/1 hr, and has a m.w. in excess of 100,000 daltons.