Cross-reactivity between an HLA-B27-derived peptide and a retinal autoantigen peptide: a clue to major histocompatibility complex association with autoimmune disease.
Statistical correlations between the expression of various HLA antigens and certain autoimmune diseases have been observed for both HLA class I and II antigens. Autoimmune diseases like spondyloarthropathies and anterior uveitis are associated with HLA-B27, but uveitis in Behçet's disease with HLA-B51. We describe a peptide from disease-associated HLA class I antigens sharing sequence homologies with a highly uveitogenic epitope from the retinal autoantigen S-antigen. S-antigen induces autoimmune uveitis in the animal model and is a major autoantigen in human disease. The HLA peptide induced uveitis in the Lewis rat and, moreover, suppressed S-antigen-induced disease when administered orally. Patients' PBL cross-reacted with the HLA- and corresponding retinal peptide, explaining the organ specificity of the disease.
Section of Immunobiology, University Eye Hospital, Munich, Germany.
G
G
Wildner
S R
SR
Thurau
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D019393:Arrestin; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007114:Immunization; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014605:Uveitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology
D000941:Antigens; D019393:Arrestin; D001324:Autoantigens; D005136:Eye Proteins; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen