T cell immunity to proteolipid protein (PLP) in multiple sclerosis (MS) : identification of DR2-associated PLP determinants and conserved TCR CDR3 motifs
Kondo, T.; Ohashi, T.
Nihon Rinsho. Japanese Journal of Clinical Medicine 52(11): 2940-2945
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0047-1852 PMID: 7527867 Document Number: 436020
Multiple sclerosis is assumed to be an autoimmune disease mediated by T cells specific for myelin protein, such as, myelin basic protein (MBP) and PLP. Several groups reported that PLP-specific T cells are activated in the cerebrospinal fluid and, to a lesser extent, in the peripheral blood of the patients. We identified seven T cell epitopes within PLP residue 85-159. The T cell responses to these epitopes were higher in MS than in healthy subjects. PLP 95-116 and 105-124 specific T cells were more frequently established from DR2 MS than from non-DR2 MS, indicating that the DR2 restricted T cells recognizing these determinants are involved in the pathogenesis of MS. It is found PLP-specific T cells preferentially use V beta 5 and V beta 2 families though the usage is not exclusive. TCR beta chain complementary determining region 3 (CDR3) amino acid motifs of some PLP-specific T cells were homologous to those of MS lesion T cells, so it is likely that PLP-specific T cells infiltrate MS lesions. To our surprise, the CDR3 motifs of PLP-specific clones resemble those of MBP-specific clones. According to these facts, some antigen-independent pressure might give a common structure to T cells involved in MS.