ADOPTIVE TRANSFER OF EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGIC NEURITIS IN THE IMMUNE SUPPRESSED HOST

Experimental allergic neuritis (EAN) was induced in normal and irradia ted Lewis rats by passively transferring T cells sensitized to SP-26, a peptide fragment of P-2 myelin protein. The recipients became sick 4 -8 days post transfer and the degree of disability correlated directly with the dose of T cells. Smaller doses caused demyelination of nerve roots and sciatic nerves and larger doses produced more severe demyel ination and significant axonal degeneration. Irradiated recipients dev eloped similar clinical EAN and showed macrophage-mediated demyelinati on despite severe suppression of the host inflammatory response.