Do antibodies to myelin basic protein isolated from multiple sclerosis cross-react with measles and other common virus antigens?

Immunological activity to various antigens, including brain components, measles and other viruses, has been associated with IgG in multiple sclerosis (MS). One possible explanation for the presence of anti-viral antibodies and antibody to myelin basic protein (MBP) in MS patients is that there are antigenic determinants common to certain viruses and MBP. To assess this possibility, IgG from individual brains and sera from patients with MS, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) and controls was isolated by protein A and MBP-Sepharose affinity chromatography.

Antibody to myelin basic protein in extracts of multiple sclerosis brain.

Autoimmunity to a neural antigen is a suspected cause of multiple sclerosis (MS), and a candidate autoantigen is myelin basic protein (MBP). Accordingly, saline extracts of brain from patients with MS and other diseases were prepared and the content of immunoglobulin (Ig) determined. Antibody to MBP was measured with a highly-sensitive solid-phase radioimmunoassay using 125I-staphylococcal Protein A.

Concanavalin A surface receptors and cytoplasmic actin in cell adhesion.

A double immunofluorescence staining technique to locate concanavalin A (Con A) surface receptors and cytoplasmic actin in the same cell was applied to monolayer cultures of rat foetal fibroblasts during cell detachment induced by trypsin and during cell attachment to glass substratum. Con A receptors were demonstrated by fluorescein-isothiocyanate-labelled Con A (FITC-Con A) and actin by specific anti-actin antibody (AAA) traced with rhodamine-labelled goat anti-human globulin (R-AHG). Untreated, control cells had an elongated shape, Con A receptors restricted to cell margins and prominent actin filaments.

Increased expression of actin-like protein in human and ethylnitrosourea-induced tumors of the nervous system.

Twenty-one human intracranial tumors comprising 15 astrocytomas and 6 meningiomas and 26 ethylnitrosourea-induced rat neural tumors comprising 7 astrocytomas and 9 schwannomas were examined by indirect immunofluorescence for reactivity with a human anti-actin antibody. In cryostat sections both human and rat astrocytomas showed an increased reaction with the anti-actin antibody compared to normal astrocytes, and the reaction with astrocytomas was greater than that with meningiomas. Malignant rat schwannomas also showed prominent anti-actin staining contrasting with the negative reaction in normal Schwann cells.