Abnormalities in brain myelin of rabbits with experimental autoimmune multiple sclerosis‐like disease induced by immunization to gangliosides

An experimental autoimmune multiple sclerosis‐like disease (EAMSD) was induced in rabbits by immunizing them with bovine brain gangliosides. Forebrain myelin was isolated and fractionated on a discontinuous sucrose gradient into light myelin (LM, buoyant density 0.625 M), and heavy myelin (HM, buoyant density > 0.625 M). No abnormalities in either protein or lipid composition of EAMSD myelin fractions were observed. However, the EAMSD tissue yielded 31% less light and 39% more heavy myelin compared to the control brains. Thus, the HM/LM ratio was two‐fold greater in experimental than in control myelin. This pathological pattern is similar to that which has been observed in myelin obtained from the brains of multiple sclerosis patients and from the optic nerves of rabbits with experimentally‐induced demyelination.