T Lymphocyte Response to Potential Autoantigens in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Myelin basic protein (MBP), a major myelin antigen, is considered a potential target of the immunopathologic process in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MBP-specific T lymphocytes indeed mediate experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, the animal model of MS. Furthermore in vivo- activated T cell clones reactive to MBP were detected in the peripheral blood of patients, but not of healthy individuals (1). For these reasons the T cell response against this self-antigen is being extensively investigated in patients with MS.