Adoptive transfer of experimental allergic neuritis in the immune suppressed host.

Experimental allergic neuritis (EAN) was induced in normal and irradiated Lewis rats by passively transferring T cells sensitized to SP-26, a peptide fragment of P2 myelin protein. The recipients became sick 4-8 days post transfer and the degree of disability correlated directly with the dose of T cells. Smaller doses caused demyelination of nerve roots and sciatic nerves and larger doses produced more severe demyelination and significant axonal degeneration. Irradiated recipients developed similar clinical EAN and showed macrophage-mediated demyelination despite severe suppression of the host inflammatory response.