Cellular Hypersensitivity to Basic Myelin (P₂) Protein in the Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Lymphocytes of 29 subjects were assayed for macrophage inhibition factor (MIF) production in response to P2 peripheral nerve protein, crude human peripheral nerve and human central nervous system A1 basic myelin protein. Seven were performed in normal control subjects, 12 in Guillain Barre patients (GB), 5 with other polyneuropathies and 5 in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Only GB patients with acute illness produced MIF in response to neuritogenic P2 protein and crude human nerve. Two MS patients in the acute phase of an exacerbation and one GB patient produced MIF in response to A1 protein. The results of this study demonstrate cellular hypersensitivity to a neuritogenic constituent in peripheral nerve tissue and support the concept that this may be important in the pathogenesis of GB.