Oligodendrocyte-binding antibodies in multiple sclerosis: 125I-protein A studies.

Sera from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), patients with neurologic diseases other than MS, controls (adult and newborn), and rabbits immunized with bovine oligodendrocytes were assayed for antioligodendrocyte antibodies by a binding test with 125I-protein A. The mean binding of 125I-protein A to oligodendrocytes was similar in MS and non-MS sera, but both were significantly higher than binding in controls. A hundredfold increase of 125I-protein A binding over the preimmune value was obtained with a rabbit antioligodendrocyte antiserum. Oligodendrocyte-binding antibodies measured with 125I-protein A do not appear to be a distinctive feature of MS.