Antisera to the ganglioside GM1 do not have anti-myelin or anti-axon activities in vitro.

Four antisera to the ganglioside GM1 were tested for effects on myelin and axons when applied to mouse spinal cord-dorsal root ganglia explant cultures. None of the antisera to GM1 caused myelination inhibition or demyelination, while an antiserum to galactocerebroside caused both. Antisera to GM1 did not inhibit axonal outgrowth or destroy mature outgrowth zone axons, while an antiserum to a rat brain axolemma-enriched fraction did both. These results suggest that antibodies to GM1 do not have significant anti-myelin or anti-axon activity.