Inhibition of in vitro Cell Migration in Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis

Peritoneal exudate cells obtained from guinea pigs within 7 days following treatment with a dose of purified basic protein from bovine spinal cord emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant, which ordinarily induces allergic encephalomyelitis, showed inhibition of migration when cultured in the presence of the encephalitogenic antigen. Since guinea pigs that occasionally survive such an encephalitogenic challenge have sensitive cells, as measured by the in vitro migration-inhibition test, it is suggested that factors in addition to hypersensitive cells may be involved in the onset of disease. In animals pretreated with antigen to avert disease, the development of hypersensitive cells appeared to be substantially inhibited. However, animals in which the appearance of disease was suppressed by treatment after the encephalomyelitis-inducing injection yielded cells which were inhibited in culture.