title: Suppression and reversal of allergic encephalomyelitis in guinea pigs with a non-encephalitogenic analogue of the tryptophan region of the myelin basic protein.
abstract: The administration of synthetic peptide S42 leads to suppression and reversal of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced in guinea pigs by myelin basic protein. Peptide S42 contains a linear sequence of 21 amino acid residues, H-Phe-Ser-Trp-Gln-Lys-Phe-Ser-Trp-Gln-Lys-Phe-Ser-Trp-Gln-Lys-Phe-Ser-Trp-Gln-Lys-Gly-OH, made up of four repeating unit sequences of H-Phe-Ser-Trp-Gln-Lys-OH in addition to a C-terminal glycine. Injected at relatively high doses, peptide S42 is non-encephalitogenic. It induces delayed-type hypersensitivity which is not followed by EAE, and elicits delayed-type hypersensitivity responses in peptide S42, encephalitogenic trytophan peptide, or BP-challenged animals for either of the three antigens. The repeating unit sequence of peptide S42 is analogous to the encephalitogenic tryptophan region of the BP molecules . The sequence homology is responsible for cellular recognition of this antigen by the skin test assay and suggests in vivo interaction between peptide S42 and EAE-inducing cells leading to suppression and reversal of disease.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D000939:Epitopes; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000175:diagnosis; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D010455:Peptides; D014364:Tryptophan