Cell-Mediated Hypersensitivity to Neural Antigens

Abstract

The method of macrophage migration inhibition was used to study cell-mediated hypersensitivity to neural antigens in patients with multiple sclerosis. Patients with other neurologic diseases and nonhuman primates sensitized with neural antigens were also included in the study. Cellmediated hypersensitivity to peripheral nerve antigens was demonstrated in patients with Landry-Guillain-Barré-Strohl polyneuritis, but no sensitivity to central or peripheral nerve antigens was found in patients with multiple sclerosis (or other neurological disease) regardless of the stage of the disease. In spite of their failure to react to neural antigens, cells from patients sensitive to streptokinase-streptodornase antigens produced macrophage inhibition factor in the presence of streptokinase-streptodornase. Cells from all experimental animals were sensitive to purified protein derivative and reacted positively to those neural antigens with which they had been sensitized.