Attempts to induce immune-mediated cerebral arterial injury for an experimental model of moyamoya disease

To examine the possible role of immune complex-mediated reactions in moyamoya disease, a novel experimental system using a serum sickness vasculitis model combined with intracisternal administration of antibodies or antigens was developed. Twenty-eight male Japanese white rabbits were divided into four experimental groups. Group I was treated twice with intravenous injections of heterologous serum. In group II, intracisternal administration of antibodies or antigens was combined with the second injection of serum. Group III received a single intravenous injection of antigens simulaneously with intracisternal administration of antibodies. Group IV was a technical control group. Cerebral arteritis, although likely in the initial process, was induced only in groups II and III. This study suggests that the cerebral arteries rarely develop arteritis in a serum sickness model alone. The cerebral arteries may require additional intracisternal administration of antibodies or antigens to induce in situ deposition of immune complexes around them.