CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM ANTIGEN’S EPITOPES SELECTION, WHICH TAKE PART IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS AUTOIMMUNE REACTIONS, AS A WAY OF A SPECIFIC TOLEROGENITY CREATION

To determine the central nervous system (CNS) peptide epitopes that take part in multiple sclerosis (MS) immune response, and taking into consideration the literature, we selected CNS peptides that most likely participated in MS immune response: MBP1 (83-99), MBP2 (111-129), MBP3 (146-170), PLP, and MOG. We estimated the specific activation of serum T-cells by the level of detected cytokines in 6 MS patients: 3 - with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), 2 - primary progressive MS (PPMS), 1 - secondary progressive MS (SPMS). As a result we revealed that all selected peptides took part in MS immunopathogenesis: in all patients MBP1 and PLP were involved; MBP2, MBP3, and MOG - in 5 of 6 patients. In response to CNS peptides T-cells most actively produced INFg, in a less degree - IL10 and IL4. In 5 of 6 cases we found negative correlation between levels of INFg and IL10. Cytokine levels did not differ between RRMS, PPMS and SPMS. Our results confirm the immunological phenomenon of epitope spreading that affects the efficacy of MS treatment, including immunological tolerance restoration.

ELISpot, multiple sclerosis, diagnosis, pathogenesis, autoimmunity, immunological tolerance, dendritic cells, cell therapy