Cellular hypersensitivity in Guillain-Barré syndrome.

The Guillain-Barré syndrome is hypothesized to be secondary to cellular hypersensitivity to peripheral nerve antigens. To test this theory lymphocytes from 100 subjects were studied using the macrophage-migration-inhibition factor (MIF) assay. Thirty-four normal controls gave a mean migration of 100.4 +/- 9%. Of 34 patients with peripheral nervous system disease, only those with the Guillain-Barré syndrome showed hypersensitivity with a mean migration of 72 +/- 11%. Of 34 patients with central nervous system disease only three with multiple sclerosis and two with stroke gave similar results. Positive results in the Guillain-Barré syndrome were found only in patients presenting with classical disease and who were ill at the time of study.