An experimental allergic encephalomyelitis was induced by bovine myelin basic protein (MBP) and bovine galactocerebroside (GC) on male guinea pigs. Animals were divided into five experimental and one control groups. Among the five experimental groups, three were inoculated with 75 micrograms, 150 micrograms and 300 micrograms of MBP, respectively, to see the dose dependency of demyelination. The fourth group was inoculated with mixture of 75 micrograms of MBP and 180 micrograms of GC and the fifth group with 180 micrograms GC. All inocula was injected intradermally in emulsion state mixed with equal amount of complete Freund adjuvant. Control group was injected with adjuvant only. Clinical symptoms began to appear from 15th day after inoculation and animals were sacrificed on maximum neurologic deficit or 4 to 5 days after the onset of symptoms. Demyelination was observed in 6 out of 8 animals inoculated with MBP/GC mixture, while only 3 out of 24 animals inoculated with various dosage of MBP showed demyelination. The difference was statistically significant. Serum antibodies to MBP and GC were measured by ELISA method. All of the eight animals inoculated with MBP/GC mixture and two animals inoculated with GC had low titer of anti-GC antibodies, while all animals inoculated with MBP, MBP alone or MBP/GC mixture, had high titer of anti-MBP antibodies. Therefor it is concluded that the demyelination is augmented by GC and is not significantly dose-dependent on MBP.
Animals ; Autoantibodies/*immunology ; Central Nervous System/*immunology/pathology ; Cerebrosides/*immunology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/*metabolism/pathology ; Galactosylceramides/*immunology ; Guinea Pigs ; Male ; Myelin Basic Protein/*immunology

An experimental allergic encephalomyelitis was induced by bovine myelin basic protein (MBP) and bovine galactocerebroside (GC) on male guinea pigs. Animals were divided into five experimental and one control groups. Among the five experimental groups, three were inoculated with 75 micrograms, 150 micrograms and 300 micrograms of MBP, respectively, to see the dose dependency of demyelination. The fourth group was inoculated with mixture of 75 micrograms of MBP and 180 micrograms of GC and the fifth group with 180 micrograms GC. All inocula was injected intradermally in emulsion state mixed with equal amount of complete Freund adjuvant. Control group was injected with adjuvant only. Clinical symptoms began to appear from 15th day after inoculation and animals were sacrificed on maximum neurologic deficit or 4 to 5 days after the onset of symptoms. Demyelination was observed in 6 out of 8 animals inoculated with MBP/GC mixture, while only 3 out of 24 animals inoculated with various dosage of MBP showed demyelination. The difference was statistically significant. Serum antibodies to MBP and GC were measured by ELISA method. All of the eight animals inoculated with MBP/GC mixture and two animals inoculated with GC had low titer of anti-GC antibodies, while all animals inoculated with MBP, MBP alone or MBP/GC mixture, had high titer of anti-MBP antibodies. Therefor it is concluded that the demyelination is augmented by GC and is not significantly dose-dependent on MBP.
Animals ; Autoantibodies/*immunology ; Central Nervous System/*immunology/pathology ; Cerebrosides/*immunology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/*metabolism/pathology ; Galactosylceramides/*immunology ; Guinea Pigs ; Male ; Myelin Basic Protein/*immunology

No abstract available.
Animal ; Central Nervous System/virology ; Central Nervous System/pathology ; Central Nervous System/immunology ; Cytokines/metabolism ; Cytokines/immunology ; Demyelinating Diseases/virology* ; Demyelinating Diseases/immunology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Human ; Inflammation/virology ; Multiple Sclerosis/virology ; Multiple Sclerosis/immunology ; T-Lymphocytes/immunology ; Theiler Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus/pathogenicity ; Theiler Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus/immunology*

BACKGROUNDConventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred neuroimaging method in the evaluation of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE). The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between clinical and immunological features with MRI abnormalities in female patients with NPSLE, to screen for the value of conventional MRI in NPSLE.

METHODSA total of 59 female NPSLE patients with conventional MRI examinations were enrolled in this retrospective study. All patients were classified into different groups according to MRI abnormalities. Both clinical and immunological features were compared between MRI abnormal and normal groups. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) score for MRI abnormalities. Multivariate logistic regression analysis investigated the correlation between immunological features, neuropsychiatric manifestations, and MRI abnormalities.

RESULTSThirty-six NPSLE patients (61%) showed a variety of MRI abnormalities. There were statistically significant differences in SLEDAI scores (P < 0.001), incidence of neurologic disorders (P = 0.001), levels of 24-h proteinuria (P = 0.001) and immunoglobulin M (P = 0.004), and incidence of acute confusional state (P = 0.002), cerebrovascular disease (P = 0.004), and seizure disorder (P = 0.028) between MRI abnormal and normal groups. In the MRI abnormal group, SLEDAI scores for cerebral atrophy (CA), cortex involvement, and restricted diffusion (RD) were much higher than in the MRI normal group (P < 0.001, P = 0.002, P = 0.038, respectively). Statistically significant positive correlations between seizure disorder and cortex involvement (odds ratio [OR] = 14.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.50-151.70; P = 0.023) and cerebrovascular disease and infratentorial involvement (OR = 10.00; 95% CI, 1.70-60.00; P = 0.012) were found.

CONCLUSIONSMRI abnormalities in NPSLE, especially CA, cortex involvement, and RD might be markers of high systemic lupus erythematosus activity. Some MRI abnormalities might correspond to neuropsychiatric manifestations and might be helpful in understanding the pathophysiology of NPSLE.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; immunology ; pathology ; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System ; immunology ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

Glomerulonephritis and pulmonary hemorrhage are features of Goodpasture's syndrome. Goodpasture's syndrome accompanied with central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis is extremely rare. Herein, we report a rare case of CNS vasculitis associated with Goodpasture's syndrome in a 34-year-old man, who presented with a seizure and sudden onset of right sided weakness. He also had recurrent hemoptysis of one month's duration. Goodpasture's syndrome is histologically diagnosed by intense linear deposits of IgG along the glomerular basement membrane in both renal and lung tissues.
Adult ; Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane Disease/complications/*diagnosis/therapy ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/administration & dosage ; Brain/*pathology ; Contrast Media/administration & dosage ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Hemoptysis/etiology ; Humans ; Image Enhancement/methods ; Immunoglobulin G/immunology ; Kidney/ultrasonography ; Lung/pathology/*radiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Methylprednisolone/administration & dosage ; Muscle Weakness/etiology ; Plasmapheresis ; Rare Diseases ; Seizures/etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vasculitis, Central Nervous System/*diagnosis/etiology/therapy