Levels of myelin basic protein and its antibodies in the serum of the patients with neurological disease [autism, multiple sclerosis]

Myelin basic protein [MBP] is an important part of myelin sheets, and it's breakdown plays an important role in many nervous diseases, and it was thought that the destruction of MBP occur by the formation of MBP antibodies. So the aim of our study is to detect the differences of MBP and MBP-Abs levels between the patients with multiple sclerosis [MS], autism and epilepsy and apparently healthy controls. the study group involved 92 samples [32 patients with autism, 19 patients with MS, 20 patients with epilepsy, 21 controls], and the determination of MBP and MBP-Abs was achieved by the enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay [ELISA]. the ratio of MBP was higher in the patients with MS [53%], and autism [31%] than the patients with epilepsy [10%], and healthy control [5%]. the ratio of MBP-Abs was higher in the patients with MS [36%], and autism [38%] than the patients with epilepsy [15%] and healthy control [5%]. The presence of MBP or MBP-Abs in the patient's serum indicate to the presence of autoimmune problem and may help to direct the treatment

The Effects of Intradermal Vaccination with DNA Encoding for the T-cell Receptor on the Induction of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in B10.PL Mice

Intradermal gene administration was found to induce a more profound immune response than direct intramusclular gene injection. We performed intradermal vaccination of B10.PL mice with DNA encoding for the V 8.2 region of the T-cell receptors (TCR). Three weeks later, these mice were immunized with rat myelin basic protein (MBP). Daily mean clinical scores and mortality rate were lower in this group compared with controls. The proliferative responses of lymph node cells to rat MBP were slightly less in the vaccination groups than in the control groups (p<0.05). However, we detected no differences between the two groups with regard to the production of MBP-specific IgG, IgG1, & IgG2a antibodies. The levels of cytokine mRNA expression in the vaccination groups were observed higher than in the control groups without antigen-specific stimulation, but all of cytokine expressions between the vaccination and control groups after antigen-specific stimulation were identical. These results demonstrate that intradermal DNA vaccines encoding for TCR might prove to be useful in the control of autoimmune disease.

Cellular immunity to bovine myelin basic protein in rats bearing malignant fibrous histiocytoma

T lymphocytes from rats with malignant fibrous histiocytoma at different stages of tumor growth were investigated for sensitization to bovine myelin basic protein (MBP). The immunological reactivity was assessed by a leukocyte adherence inhibition assay as an in vitro correlate of celular immunity. We found that only T lymphocytes oobtained 4 and 6 days after tumor transplantation are reactive to MBP (1-2 microng/ml) Since the sequence of the antigenic determinats from MBP is known, our finding may make it possible to select synthetic epitopes for generating cytotoxic T lymphocytes to these tumor cells

A study on demyelinating effect of galactocerebroside in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

An experimental allergic encephalomyelitis was induced by bovine myelin basic protein (MBP) and bovine galactocerebroside (GC) on male guinea pigs. Animals were divided into five experimental and one control groups. Among the five experimental groups, three were inoculated with 75 micrograms, 150 micrograms and 300 micrograms of MBP, respectively, to see the dose dependency of demyelination. The fourth group was inoculated with mixture of 75 micrograms of MBP and 180 micrograms of GC and the fifth group with 180 micrograms GC. All inocula was injected intradermally in emulsion state mixed with equal amount of complete Freund adjuvant. Control group was injected with adjuvant only. Clinical symptoms began to appear from 15th day after inoculation and animals were sacrificed on maximum neurologic deficit or 4 to 5 days after the onset of symptoms. Demyelination was observed in 6 out of 8 animals inoculated with MBP/GC mixture, while only 3 out of 24 animals inoculated with various dosage of MBP showed demyelination. The difference was statistically significant. Serum antibodies to MBP and GC were measured by ELISA method. All of the eight animals inoculated with MBP/GC mixture and two animals inoculated with GC had low titer of anti-GC antibodies, while all animals inoculated with MBP, MBP alone or MBP/GC mixture, had high titer of anti-MBP antibodies. Therefor it is concluded that the demyelination is augmented by GC and is not significantly dose-dependent on MBP.

A study on demyelinating effect of galactocerebroside in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

An experimental allergic encephalomyelitis was induced by bovine myelin basic protein (MBP) and bovine galactocerebroside (GC) on male guinea pigs. Animals were divided into five experimental and one control groups. Among the five experimental groups, three were inoculated with 75 micrograms, 150 micrograms and 300 micrograms of MBP, respectively, to see the dose dependency of demyelination. The fourth group was inoculated with mixture of 75 micrograms of MBP and 180 micrograms of GC and the fifth group with 180 micrograms GC. All inocula was injected intradermally in emulsion state mixed with equal amount of complete Freund adjuvant. Control group was injected with adjuvant only. Clinical symptoms began to appear from 15th day after inoculation and animals were sacrificed on maximum neurologic deficit or 4 to 5 days after the onset of symptoms. Demyelination was observed in 6 out of 8 animals inoculated with MBP/GC mixture, while only 3 out of 24 animals inoculated with various dosage of MBP showed demyelination. The difference was statistically significant. Serum antibodies to MBP and GC were measured by ELISA method. All of the eight animals inoculated with MBP/GC mixture and two animals inoculated with GC had low titer of anti-GC antibodies, while all animals inoculated with MBP, MBP alone or MBP/GC mixture, had high titer of anti-MBP antibodies. Therefor it is concluded that the demyelination is augmented by GC and is not significantly dose-dependent on MBP.