A novel candidate autoantigen in a multiplex family with multiple sclerosis: prevalence of T-lymphocytes specific for an MBP epitope unique to myelination.
Although the major isoform of myelin basic protein (MBP) in the healthy adult CNS is the 18.5-kDa protein, other isoforms containing exon 2 encoded protein (21.5 kDa and 20.2 kDa) exist and are expressed primarily during myelin formation. Since remyelination is a prominent feature in MS lesions, we examined the frequencies of T cell lines (TCLs) specific for epitopes within exon 2 encoded MBP (X2MBP), and also within 18.5-kDa MBP, in members of a multiplex family with MS. TCLs specific for X2MBP were as prevalent as TCLs specific for immunodominant epitopes within 18.5-kDa MBP. In addition, while frequencies of TCLs specific for 18.5-kDa MBP were no different between the affected and unaffected, the frequency of X2MBP-specific TCLs correlated with disease.
Voskuhl
R R
RR
Neuroimmunology Branch, National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
McFarlin
D E
DE
Tranquill
L R
LR
Deibler
G
G
Stone
R
R
Maloni
H
H
McFarland
H F
HF
D000368:Aged; D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002460:Cell Line; D000939:Epitopes; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010375:Pedigree; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
D001324:Autoantigens; D000939:Epitopes; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein