T-cell recognition of an immuno-dominant myelin basic protein epitope in multiple sclerosis

摘要: MULTIPLE sclerosis is thought to be an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system mediated by T cells specific for a myelin antigen1,2. Myelin basic protein has been studied as potential autoantigen in because its role encephalitogen experimental encephalomyelitis and post-viral encephalomyelitis3,4 presence blood multiple patients vivo-activated reactive protein5. Immune involvement further suggested association with major histocompatibility complex class II phenotype DR2, DQwl (refs 6–9). To define T-cell specificity toward protein, 15,824 short-term lines were established from subjects, subjects other neurological diseases, normal controls. Here we report higher frequency DR2-associated region between residues 84–102 compared A second region, identified 143–168, was recognized equally controls associated DRwll phenotype. These DR2 DRw11 associations also observed among generated family members patient. The immunodominant peptide both DR2- DQwl-restricted different lines. results raise possibility that this may encephalitogenic some DR2+ individuals.