LATE COMPLICATIONS OF IMMUNE DEVIATION THERAPY IN A NONHUMAN PRIMATE

The administration of antigens in soluble form can induce antigen-spec ific immune tolerance and suppress experimental autoimmune diseases, I n a marmoset model of multiple sclerosis induced by myelin oligodendro cyte glycoprotein (MOG), marmosets tolerized to MOG were protected aga inst acute disease, but after tolerization treatment a lethal demyelin ating disorder emerged. In these animals, MOG-specific T cell prolifer ative responses were transiently suppressed, cytokine production was s hifted from a T helper type 1 (T(H)1) to a T(H)2 pattern, and titers o f autoantibodies to MOG were enhanced. Thus, immune deviation can incr ease concentrations of pathogenic autoantibodies and in some circumsta nces exacerbate autoimmune disease.