A peptide composed of tandem analogs of two myasthenogenic T cell epitopes interferes with specific autoimmune responses

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1997 Apr 1;94(7):3200-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.94.7.3200.

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a T cell-regulated, antibody-mediated autoimmune disease. Two peptides representing sequences of the human acetylcholine receptor alpha-subunit, p195-212 and p259-271, were previously shown to stimulate peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with MG and were found to be immunodominant T cell epitopes in SJL and BALB/c mice, respectively. Single amino acid substituted analogs of p195-212 (analog Ala-207) and p259-271 (analog Lys-262) were synthesized. We showed that analogs Ala-207 and Lys-262 inhibited, in vitro and in vivo, the proliferative responses of T cell lines specific to the relevant peptide and lymph node cells of mice immunized to p195-212 and p259-271, respectively. To inhibit T cell responses to both peptides (p195-212 and p259-271), we synthesized dual analogs composed of the tandemly arranged two single (Ala-207 and Lys-262) analogs (dual analog) either sequentially (Ala-207-Lys-262) or reciprocally (Lys-262-Ala-207). In the present study, we report that both dual analogs could bind to major histocompatibility complex class II molecules on antigen-presenting cells of SJL and BALB/c mice. Analog Lys-262-Ala-207, which bound more efficiently to major histocompatibility complex class II molecules, was found to inhibit the proliferative responses of both p195-212- and p259-271-specific T cell lines. Furthermore, the analog inhibited the in vivo priming of lymph node cells of both SJL and BALB/c mice when administered i.v., i.p., or per os. The dual analog Lys-262-Ala-207 could also immunomodulate myasthenogenic manifestations in mice with experimental autoimmune MG induced by inoculation of a pathogenic T cell line. Thus, a single peptide that is composed of analogs to two epitope specificities can be used to regulate T cell responses and disease associated with each epitope.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / immunology
  • Epitopes / chemistry
  • Epitopes / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Myasthenia Gravis / immunology*
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Epitopes
  • Peptide Fragments