Prevention of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by ganglioside GM4

Guinea pigs inoculated with a mixture of myelin basic protein and the myelin-specific ganglioside, sialosylgalactosylceramide (GM4), do not develop the signs or neuropathology of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. The results indicate that GM4 cloaks the basic protein molecule so that it is no longer immunopathogenic in these animals. The interaction of basic protein with GM4, previously shown in vitro, appears to be relevant to the pathogenesis of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in guinea pigs.