Peripheral nervous tissue injury induced by galactocerebroside and galactocerebroside immune complexes

It was demonstrated that New Zealand Albino rabbits sensitized to galactocerebroside had high levels of anti-galactocerebroside antibody and of immune complexes. The rabbits with high titers of immune complexes developed demyelination in the peripheral nerves. Lesion were produced in the peripheral nerves of mice by the i.m. injection of galactocerebroside immune complexes. The lesions were characterized by axonal degeneration, infiltrating macrophages containing myelin debris, and an inflammatory infiltrate of polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cells. Rabbit immunoglobulin and mouse C3 were observed around the endoneural blood vessels. These results suggest that galactocerebroside immune complexes may play a role in the pathogenesis of mouse peripheral nerve lesions, due to the production of vasculomyelinopathy.