P0 protein peptide 180-199 together with pertussis toxin induces experimental autoimmune neuritis in resistant C57BL/6 mice

The C57BL/6 mice strain is known to be reputedly resistant to induction of experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN), an animal model of Guillain-Barre s yndrome in human by bovine peripheral myelin (BPM), and P2 protein or the P 2 protein peptide 57-81. The P0 peptide 180-199 is a stronger neuritogenic antigen than the P2 peptide 57-81. We found that this synthetic peptide ind uced both clinical and pathological characteristics of an acute monophasic EAN in C57BL/6 mice. Only male mice were more sensitive to EAN induction wi th the P0 peptide 180-199. Intravenously administrated pertussis toxin (PT) had an adjuvant effect that increased the incidence of P0 peptide 180-199- induced EAN as well as the inflammation and demyelination in the peripheral nerves. Spontaneous and P0 peptide 180-199 stimulated proliferation of per ipheral T-cells were enhanced by PT-treatment as well. The enhancing effect was lower before onset of the disease (Day 6 post immunization) (p.i.) as compared to the early phase of the disease (Day 22 p.i.). Thus, P0 peptides together with PT are able to break tolerance to myelin in C57BL/6 mice. J. Neurosci. Res. 62:717-721, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.