title: Evaluation of the humoral response against mycobacterial peptides, homologous to MOG₃₅₋₅₅, in multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) have been associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). Clinical data indicates that BCG vaccination exerts anti-inflammatory effects in MS; conversely, MAP is thought to be one of the possible infectious factors responsible of MS through a molecular mimicry mechanism. A peptide-based indirect ELISA was used to detect antibodies against the encephalitogenic myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)35-55 epitope, and two mycobacterial peptides sharing sequence homology with the latter: MAP_2619c352-361/BCG_1224355-364 and BCG_3329c64-74. Among 40 MS patients and 39 healthy volunteers included in the study, only MOG35-55 was capable of inducing a significantly higher humoral response in MS subjects compared to controls. Indeed, 11 out of 40 MS subjects (27.5%) and only 2 out of 39 controls (5%) were antibody-positive for MOG35-55 (p=0.01, AUC=0.65). These findings strengthen the importance of MOG35-55 in MS pathogenesis. The MAP and BCG MOG-homologues epitopes investigated were not recognized in MS patients. Overall, the results allow us concluding that sharing homology of linear epitopes is necessary but not sufficient to induce antibody-mediated cross-reactivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Experimental and Clinical Microbiology, University of Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cossu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Experimental and Clinical Microbiology, University of Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mameli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Experimental and Clinical Microbiology, University of Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Speranza
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masala
authors.affiliation: Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cocco
authors.affiliation: Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frau
authors.affiliation: Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Giovanna
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Marrosu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Experimental and Clinical Microbiology, University of Sassari, Italy. Electronic address: sechila@uniss.it.
authors.forename: Leonardo Antonio
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Sechi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D016927:Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein / Q000276:immunology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein
keywords: Bacillus Calmette-Guérin; Multiple sclerosis; Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis; Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein