Binding of bacterial endotoxin (LPS) to encephalitogenic myelin basic protein and modulation of characteristic biologic activities of LPS.

Myelin basic protein, isolated from central nervous system tissue and an inducer of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in animals, has been demonstrated to form a stable molecular complex with the lipid A region of gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharides (endotoxins). This binding of endotoxin with myelin basic protein results in generation of lower m.w. aggregates with decreased isopycnic density. A number of lipid A-induced characteristic properties of endotoxin, such as B lymphocyte proliferative response in C3H/St mice, complement activation of normal human serum, Limulus lysate gelation, and lethal effects in mice, are modified as a result of binding of myelin basic protein with lipopolysaccharides.