Abstract
This chapter explains experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN). The autoantigens used to induce EAN are all derived from the components of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) myelin sheath. In the PNS, myelin is formed and maintained by Schwann cells each of which enwraps a single axonal segment to form a spiral of compact multilamellar myelin. Myelin is a lipid-rich membrane that contains only 22%–28% protein by dry weight. Moreover, the protein composition of the isolated membrane is very simple, three protein components—the P0 glycoprotein, myelin basic protein, and the P2 protein—accounting for at least 80% of the total protein content of the membrane. EAN can be induced by using either PNS tissue homogenates, purified myelin, or isolated myelin proteins emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant. EAN is readily inducible in many mammalian species by immunization with peripheral nerve tissue, PNS myelin, purified PNS myelin antigens, or even synthetic peptides representing PNS protein sequences.
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