Human immunoglobulin ameliorates rat experimental autoimmune neuritis

Abstract

Human immunoglobulin is an effective treatment for Guillain-Barre syndrome, although the mechanism of action is not understood. We have investigated the effect of human immunoglobulin in an animal model of Guillain-Barre syndrome, namely experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN), induced in Lewis rats by immunization with bovine spinal root myelin. Human immunoglobulin administered intraperitoneally at the time of onset of disease accelerated the rate of recovery from EAN. This improvement was associated with a reduction in the titre of anti-rat myelin antibodies and may be due to earlier remyelination of demyelinated nerve fibres. This model may facilitate further investigation of the mechanism of therapeutic action of immunoglobulin in inflammatory neuropathy.