IgG subclass switching is associated with the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide in NOD mice

We have recently shown that a single dose of the myelin oligodendrocyte gly coprotein (MOG) peptide 35-55 produces a relapsing-remitting demyelinating disease similar to multiple sclerosis (MS) in Lewis rats. In this study we have assessed the possibility that a subclass of anti-MOG(35-55) antibodies influences the clinical outcome of these diseases by examining the classes and isotypes of anti-MOG(35-55) antibody produced during the course of MOG (35-55)-induced demyelinating disease in NOD mice. Following immunization, 7 of the 21 injected mice had only mild diseases, while the 14 others had s evere progressive and/or relapsing-remitting diseases. There were no differ ences in anti-MOG(35-55) IgG, IgA, IgM, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG3 antibody tite rs between the severe and mild symptoms groups. High levels of IgG2b antibo dy to MOG(35-55) were detected in all mice with severe symptoms. In contras t, none of the mice which contracted a mild disease produced anti-MOG(35-55 ) IgG2b. These results suggest that in NOD mice, the IgG2b antibody respons e to MOG(35-55) is associated with the severity of this MS-like demyelinati ng disease. (C) 1999 Academic Press.