Immune responses in experimental allergic neuritis treated with corticosteroids

The preventive and suppressive effects of methylprednisolone (MP) were investigated in 22 rabbits immunized with peripheral nerve myelin. Cellular reactivity to bovine P2 protein (P2) and anti-P2 antibody were also examined serially in these animals, using the lymphocyte proliferation test or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seven animals (preventive group), given 15 mg/day of MP subcutaneously from Days 0-28, showed a significant reduction in maximal severity and a delay in onset in comparison with 8 control animals. The remaining 7 animals (suppressive group), given the same dose of MP from Days 11-28, also showed significantly milder clinical signs than those observed in the controls. However, cellular hypersensitivity to P2 were manifested at Day 14 (just after clinical onset) in the controls, as well as in the preventive or suppressive groups. Furthermore, anti-P2 antibody was detected in each group after Day 14. These results suggested that the interference of inflammatory processes of immune-mediated disease might respond to the preventive and suppressive effects of MP.