Cross-reactive phage-displayed mimotopes lead to the discovery of mimicry between HSV-1 and a brain-specific protein.
We previously reported the selection of several families of phage-displayed peptide mimics (mimotopes) recognized by oligoclonal immunoglobulins present in the CSF of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. To search for the natural antigens recognized by these antibodies, anti-sera were raised against one of the mimotopes and used as a probe in ELISA, Western blotting and immunoprecipitation experiments. Anti-mimotope IgG were found to cross-react with an epitope shared by a brain-specific factor conserved from rodents to humans, and the surface glycoprotein gB of HSV-1. These findings support the hypothesis that common viral infections are the triggering agents of self-reactive CSF antibodies, whose role in MS still remains to be elucidated.
Cortese
I
I
Clinica Neurologica, Universita' di Roma Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Capone
S
S
Luchetti
S
S
Cortese
R
R
Nicosia
A
A
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018716:Molecular Mimicry / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D019151:Peptide Library; D011817:Rabbits; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001323:Autoantibodies; D016207:Cytokines; D000939:Epitopes; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D019151:Peptide Library; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C040495:glycoprotein B, Simplexvirus