The central nervous sytem-specific myelin oligodendrocytic basic protein (MOBP) is encephalitogenic and a potential target antigen in multiple sclerosis (MS) (original) (raw)

The myelin-associated oligodendrocytic basic protein (MOBP) as a relevant primary target autoantigen in multiple sclerosis

Autoimmunity Reviews, 2010

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the human CNS, characterized by perivascular inflammation, demyelination and axonal damage. Although the etiology of MS is unknown, it is believed that the disease results from destructive autoimmune mechanisms, presumably initiated by abnormal activation of potentially pathogenic autoimmune T-cells recognizing CNS components. The myelin-associated oligodendrocyte basic protein (MOBP), a relatively abundant CNS-specific myelin protein, which plays a role in stabilizing the myelin sheath in the CNS, has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of MS. Here we review studies showing that MOBP is as an important candidate target antigen in MS as the other widely studied target antigens, myelin basic protein (MBP), proteolipid protein (PLP), and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). The studies summarized below indicate that T-cell autoimmunity against MOBP can be detected in MS patients; T-cells reactive against MOBP can be pathogenic in several mouse strains as well as in the "humanized" HLA-DR15-Tg mice; and, that the HLA-DQ6-restricted, but not HLA-DR15-restricted, MOBP-reactive T-cells cause in HLA-DR15-Tg mice MS-like clinical disease associated with perivascular and parenchymal infiltration, demyelination, axonal loss, and optic neuritis. Accordingly, the MOBP should be considered a bona fide primary target antigen in MS, in addition to MBP, PLP, and MOG.

The myelin-associated oligodendrocytic basic protein region MOBP15-36 encompasses the immunodominant major encephalitogenic epitope(s) for SJL/J miceand predicted epitope(s) for multiple sclerosis-associated HLA-DRBI*1501

The Journal of Immunology, 2004

Autoimmune response to the myelin-associated oligodendrocytic basic protein (MOBP), a CNS-specific myelin constituent, was recently suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). The pathogenic autoimmune response to MOBP and the associated pathology in the CNS have not yet been fully investigated. In this study, we have characterized the clinical manifestations, pathology, T cell epitope-specificity, and TCRs associated with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced in SJL/J mice with recombinant mouse MOBP (long isoform, 170 aa). Analysis of encephalitogenic MOBP-reactive T cells for reactivity to overlapping MOBP peptides defined MOBP15-36 as their major immunodominant epitope. Accordingly, MOBP15-36 was demonstrated to be the major encephalitogenic MOBP epitope for SJL/J mice, inducing severe/chronic clinical EAE associated with intense perivascular and parenchymal infiltrations, widespread demyelination, axonal loss, and remarkable optic neuritis. Molecular modeling of the interaction of I-A s with MOBP15-36, together with analysis of the MOBP15-36-specific T cell response to truncated peptides, suggests MOBP20 -28 as the core sequence for I-A s -restricted recognition of the encephalitogenic region MOBP15-36. Although highly focused in their epitope specificity, the encephalitogenic MOBP-reactive T cells displayed a widespread usage of TCR V␤ genes. These results would therefore favor epitope-directed, rather than TCR-targeted, approaches to therapy of MOBP-associated pathogenic autoimmunity. Localization by molecular modeling of a potential HLA-DRB1*1501-associated MOBP epitope within the encephalitogenic MOBP15-36 sequence suggests the potential relevance of T cell reactivity against MOBP15-36 to MS. The reactivity to MOBP15-36 detected in MS shown here and in another study further emphasizes the potential significance of this epitope for MS.

The Myelin-Associated Oligodendrocytic Basic Protein Region MOBP15-36 Encompasses the Immunodominant Major Encephalitogenic Epitope(s) for SJL/J Mice and Predicted Epitope(s) for Multiple Sclerosis-Associated HLA-DRB1*1501

The Journal of Immunology, 2004

Autoimmune response to the myelin-associated oligodendrocytic basic protein (MOBP), a CNS-specific myelin constituent, was recently suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). The pathogenic autoimmune response to MOBP and the associated pathology in the CNS have not yet been fully investigated. In this study, we have characterized the clinical manifestations, pathology, T cell epitope-specificity, and TCRs associated with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced in SJL/J mice with recombinant mouse MOBP (long isoform, 170 aa). Analysis of encephalitogenic MOBP-reactive T cells for reactivity to overlapping MOBP peptides defined MOBP15-36 as their major immunodominant epitope. Accordingly, MOBP15-36 was demonstrated to be the major encephalitogenic MOBP epitope for SJL/J mice, inducing severe/chronic clinical EAE associated with intense perivascular and parenchymal infiltrations, widespread demyelination, axonal loss, and remarkable optic neuritis. Molecular modeling of the interaction of I-A s with MOBP15-36, together with analysis of the MOBP15-36-specific T cell response to truncated peptides, suggests MOBP20 -28 as the core sequence for I-A s -restricted recognition of the encephalitogenic region MOBP15-36. Although highly focused in their epitope specificity, the encephalitogenic MOBP-reactive T cells displayed a widespread usage of TCR V␤ genes. These results would therefore favor epitope-directed, rather than TCR-targeted, approaches to therapy of MOBP-associated pathogenic autoimmunity. Localization by molecular modeling of a potential HLA-DRB1*1501-associated MOBP epitope within the encephalitogenic MOBP15-36 sequence suggests the potential relevance of T cell reactivity against MOBP15-36 to MS. The reactivity to MOBP15-36 detected in MS shown here and in another study further emphasizes the potential significance of this epitope for MS.

Myelin peptides in multiple sclerosis☆

Autoimmunity Reviews, 2009

The development of specific therapies for organ-specific autoimmune diseases requires the identification of relevant immunogenic epitopes, recognized by both pathogenic T cells and autoantibodies. Here, we review the most relevant studies focused in the identification of peptides in multiple sclerosis (MS) and the distinct T cell reactivity induced in patients compared to controls. Only a few studies reported significant differences in terms of T cell reactivity to them. The current knowledge on this issue, and the diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities opened by the identification of pathogenic MS epitopes are discussed in this paper.

Increased CD8+ Cytotoxic T Cell Responses to Myelin Basic Protein in Multiple Sclerosis

The Journal of Immunology, 2004

Autoreactive T cells of CD4 and CD8 subsets recognizing myelin basic protein (MBP), a candidate myelin autoantigen, are thought to contribute to and play distinct roles in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study we identified four MBP-derived peptides that had high binding affinity to HLA-A2 and HLA-A24 and characterized the CD8 ؉ T cell responses and their functional properties in patients with MS. There were significantly increased CD8 ؉ T cell responses to 9-mer MBP peptides, in particular MBP 111-119 and MBP 87-95 peptides that had high binding affinity to HLA-A2, in patients with MS compared with healthy individuals. The resulting CD8 ؉ T cell lines were of the Th1 phenotype, producing TNF-␣ and IFN-␥ and belonged to a CD45RA ؊ /CD45RO ؉ memory T cell subset. Further characterization indicated that the CD8 ؉ T cell lines obtained were stained with MHC class I tetramer (HLA-A2/MBP 111-119) and exhibited specific cytotoxicity toward autologous target cells pulsed with MBP-derived peptides in the context of MHC class I molecules. These cytotoxic CD8 ؉ T cell lines derived from MS patients recognized endogenously processed MBP and lysed COS cells transfected with genes encoding MBP and HLA-A2. These findings support the potential role of CD8 ؉ CTLs recognizing MBP in the injury of oligodendrocytes expressing both MHC class I molecules and MBP.

T lymphocyte lines and clones selected against synthetic myelin basic protein 82–102 peptide from Japanese multiple sclerosis patients

Journal of Neuroimmunology, 1993

As has been indicated in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the application of synthetic peptides for the selection of T cell lines may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). We report here on T cell lines/clones generated from peripheral blood of MS patients against an immunodominant myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide 82-102. This study demonstrates that the selection of T cell lines against the MBP peptide is much more efficient than against whole MBP in generating a large panel of T cell lines/clones, and therefore provides a powerful strategy for studying autoimmune T cell repertoire in individual subjects. The peptide-selected lines and clones recognized MBP 82-102, shorter peptides MBP 89-101, 89-100 and guinea pig whole MBP mainly in the context of HLA-DR, but did not cross-recognize virus-derived peptides homologous to MBP 82-102. Seven out of ten clones were found to recognize MBP 82-102 in the absence of autologous antigen presenting cells (APC), and in three of the seven clones, specificity for MBP 82-102 could be demonstrated only in the absence of APC because of their strong reactivity against autologous APC. Two-color flow cytometry revealed that the clones were heterogeneous with regard to expression of CD4 and CD8 molecules. Overall, the clones selected by the peptide were rather heterogeneous in phenotype and function compared with those selected by whole MBP.

A study of human T-cell lines generated from multiple sclerosis patients and controls by stimulation with peptides of myelin basic protein

Metal Finishing, 1996

We generated T-cell lines from the peripheral blood of controls and of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) by stimulation with overlapping synthetic peptides representing the entire sequences of all four isoforms of human myelin basic protein (MBP). The T-cell lines reacted to a wide range of epitopes in the major isoforms of MBP and to epitopes that were present only in the minor isoforms. Many MS patients and controls had T-cells responding to one or more cryptic MBP epitopes, as indicated by the generation of a peptide-specific T-cell line(s)by stimulation with synthetic peptides but not by stimulation with whole MBP. About one-third of the peptide-generated lines were cytotoxic. Although we have shown that this technique of peptide stimulation is effective in generating human antiviral cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell lines, all the cytotoxic MBP-specific lines generated by this method were predominantly CD4+. Our study did not reveal any significant differences, between MS patients and controls, in reactivity to epitopes within any of the isoforms of MBP.

Recognition of the immunodominant myelin basic protein peptide by autoantibodies and HLA-DR2-restricted T cell clones from multiple sclerosis patients. Identity of key contact residues in the B-cell and T-cell epitopes

Journal of Clinical Investigation, 1997

The structural requirements for autoantibody recognition were compared to those previously defined for MBP-specific T cell clones. MBP autoantibodies were affinity-purified from central nervous system lesions of 11/12 postmortem cases studied. The MBP(83-97) peptide was immunodominant in all 11 cases since it inhibited autoantibody binding to MBP Ͼ 95%. Residues contributing to autoantibody binding were located in a 10-amino acid segment (V86-T95) that also contained the MHC/T cell receptor contact residues of the T cell epitope. In the epitope center, the same residues were important for antibody binding and T cell recognition. Based on the antibody-binding motif, microbial peptides were identified that were bound by purified autoantibodies. Autoantibody binding of microbial peptides required sequence identity at four or five contiguous residues in the epitope center. Microbial peptides previously found to activate T cell clones did not have such obvious homology to MBP since sequence identity was not required at MHC contacts. The similar fine specificity of B cells and T cells may be useful for tolerance induction

A major influence of the T cell receptor repertoire as compared to antigen processing–presentation in the selection of myelin basic protein epitopes in multiple sclerosis

Journal of Neuroimmunology, 1999

We selected two multiple sclerosis MS patients, compatible for HLA-DR2 subtype, and differing for HLA-DM haplotype as well as Ž . Ž . Ž for the myelin basic protein MBP epitope recognized by the vast majority of their T cell lines TCL residues 16-38 and 86-99, . respectively . TCL sharing the same restriction element were re-assayed in the presence of reciprocally mismatched antigen-presenting Ž . cells APC . The TCL recognized both the whole MBP and the relevant peptide also in the presence of non-autologous APC, Ž . compatibility for processing, despite a difference in the DM haplotype . The same protocol, performed in serum-free pulsing experiments or in the presence of 'fixed' APC, excluded extracellular processing or mutual T cell presentation, and confirmed the need for MBP Ž processing in our system. The finding, that only TCL recognizing MBP peptide 16-38 a region not previously related to the DR2 . haplotype used a novel Vb, supports the importance of the TCR repertoire over the processing-presentation machinery in the selection of MBP epitopes in MS. q

A myelin basic protein peptide is recognized by cytotoxic T cells in the context of four HLA-DR types associated with multiple sclerosis

Journal of Experimental Medicine, 1991

We have examined previously the peptide specificity of the T cell response to myelin basic protein (MBP) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls, and demonstrated that an epitope spanning amino acids 87-106 was frequently recognized. Because this region is encephalitogenic in some experimental animals, it has been postulated that the response to the epitope may have relevance to MS. In this study, the fine specificity of this response is studied using four well-characterized, monospecific T cell lines from three MS patients and an identical twin of a patient. Each of the lines recognized a peptide with the same core sequence, amino acids 89-99, although the responses were affected to various degrees by truncations at the COOH- or NH2 terminal ends of the 87-106 epitope. Importantly, the epitope was recognized in conjunction with four different HLA-DR molecules. Also, the T cell receptor beta chain usage was heterogeneous, and each line expressed a different VDJ...