Antigen-induced suppression of experimental allergic neuritis in the guinea pig

Treatment of guinea pigs suffering from a fatal form of experimental allergic neuritis (EAN) using P2 basic protein of PNS myelin reduced the clinical severity, the overall mortality and the incidence of respiratory problems. The large basic protein (MBP) common to the CNS and PNS had no suppressive effect on EAN. Cyanogen bromide cleavage of P2 destroyed its suppressive activity. P0 protein of PNS myelin had marginal suppressive activity but Cop 1, a synthetic copolymer effective in suppressing EAE, was without significant effect on EAN. The suppression with P2 protein of a milder form of EAN (induced with a reduced amount of PNS myelin) was less marked. Increasing the treatment period from 10 to 15 days did not increase the suppressive effect of P2 in the milder form of EAN.