Demonstration of serum IgG antibodies against myelin during the course of relapsing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in guinea pigs.

Chronic relapsing allergic encephalomyelitis (r-EAE) was induced in a local strain of guinea pigs. By the use of isoelectric focusing (IF) followed by antigen immunofixation and autoradiography, antibodies directed against central nervous system (CNS) myelin were detected in 21 of 23 sera sampled during the course of r-EAE. Previous absorption of the sera with CNS myelin reduced or abolished antibody activity on autoradiograms. One r-EAE guinea pig developed definite oligoclonal IgG bands in serum while in 7 r-EAE animals faint oligoclonal IgG bands were present. The mobility of oligoclonal IgG bands differed from the mobility of antimyelin antibody bands on autoradiograms. The significance of these findings has not been definitely elucidated but the antimyelin antibodies may possibly be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease while oligoclonal IgG bands may represent an epiphenomenon not pathogenetically related to r-EAE.