Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in antimyelin antibody-induced oligodendrocyte damage in vitro

Treatment of dissociated murine brain cell cultures with an antibody recognizing galactocerebroside (GalC) led to degeneration of oligodendrocytes with loss of their cell processes. F(ab')2 fragments prepared from this antibody showed no effect. The anti-GalC antibody--but not its F(ab')2 fragments b2 was able to stimulate macrophages in these cultures as seen in a chemiluminescence assay. Therefore, antibodies bound to oligodendrocytes stimulated nearby macrophages by interacting with their Fc receptors. The oligodendroglial damage coincided with the release of toxic compounds by the stimulated macrophages, since treatment of the cultures with the anti-GalC antibody and a variety of other macrophage stimulating agents led to secretion of reactive oxygen species and--in some experiments--tumor necrosis factor, both known to be toxic for oligodendrocytes. These in vitro experiments show evidence that antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity may be an important mechanism of tissue destruction in inflammatory demyelinating diseases.