A Chlamydia pneumoniae-specific peptide induces experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in rats.
It has been reported recently that the bacterial respiratory pathogen Chlamydia pneumoniae is present in the cerebrospinal fluid of a subset of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. However, it is not known whether this organism is a causative agent of MS, or merely an opportunistic pathogen that takes advantage of a disease process initiated by some other means. We report identification of a 20-mer peptide from a protein specific to C. pneumoniae which shares a 7-aa motif with a critical epitope of myelin basic protein, a major CNS Ag targeted by the autoimmune response in MS. This bacterial peptide induces a Th1 response accompanied by severe clinical and histological experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in Lewis rats, a condition closely reflective of many aspects of MS. Studies with peptide analogues suggest that different populations of encephalitogenic T cells are activated by the C. pneumoniae and myelin basic protein Ags. Mild experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis was also observed when rats were immunized with sonicated C. pneumoniae in CFA.
Lenz
D C
DC
Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
Lu
L
L
Conant
S B
SB
Wolf
N A
NA
Gérard
H C
HC
Whittum-Hudson
J A
JA
Hudson
A P
AP
Swanborg
R H
RH
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000637:transplantation
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C110235:myelin basic protein 68-86