title: Hypothesized role of galactocerebroside and NKT cells in the etiology of multiple sclerosis.
abstract: According to the molecular mimicry theory, multiple sclerosis (MS) develops when the immune system mistakenly attacks a component of the myelin sheath that is structurally similar to a foreign epitope. The glycolipid galactocerebroside (GalC) is a major component of myelin. As lipids comprise between 70% and 85% of myelin, glycolipids should be investigated as candidate autoantigens in MS. GalC displays broad structural similarities to the Borrelia burgdorferi glycolipid antigen BbGL-2 and to the Sphingomonas antigen GalAGSL. In principle, therefore, these bacteria may induce an autoimmune attack on the myelin sheath. GalC is also structurally similar to natural killer T (NKT) cell ligand alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer). Further studies must be performed to clarify the role of GalC in the activation of NKT cells and the development of MS.
authors: Harvard College, 1129 Harvard Yard Mail Center, Cambridge, United States. mblewett@fas.harvard.edu
authors: Megan M
authors: MM
authors: Blewett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000737:chemistry; D005699:Galactosylceramides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism*; D008024:Ligands; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000737:chemistry; D020578:Sphingomonas / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005699:Galactosylceramides; D006017:Glycolipids; D008024:Ligands; C493154:alpha-galactosylceramide; C002454:galactocerebroside