title: Myelin basic protein intramolecular spreading without disease progression in a patient with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: A case with stable multiple sclerosis (MS) and T cell responses which initially focused on peptide 16-38 of myelin basic protein (MBP) allowed us to investigate the dynamics of the MBP-specific T cell repertoire and its relationship with disease progression. Epitope mapping experiments and T cell receptor usage of MBP-reactive T cell lines (obtained at four distinct time points over a 7-year period) showed a spreading of the response. Transient expansions and persistence of T cells recognizing different MBP epitopes were also detected. The patient's expanded disability status scale and magnetic resonance imaging lesion load remained stable. Our case shows both persistent self-recognitions and determinant spreading in stable MS. This finding suggests that the relationship between dynamics of self-recognition and disease progression is highly complex.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, Università 'La Sapienza', Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ristori
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giubilei
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giunti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perna
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gasperini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buttinelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvetti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uccelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D018450:Disease Progression; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein