Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Induced with a Combination of Myelin Basic Protein and Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Is Ameliorated by Administration of a Single Myelin Basic Protein Peptide

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system in which T cell reactivity to several myelin proteins, including myelin basic protein (MBP), proteolipid protein, and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), has been implicated in the perpetuation of the disease state. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is used commonly as a model in which potential therapies for multiple sclerosis are evaluated. The ability of T cell epitope-containing peptides to down-regulate the disease course is well documented for both MBP- and proteolipid protein-induced EAE, and recently has been shown for MOG-induced EAE. In this study, we describe a novel EAE model, in which development of severe disease symptoms in (PL/J x SJL)F1 mice is dependent on reactivity to two different immunizing Ags, MBP and MOG. The disease is often fatal, with a relapsing/progressive course in survivors, and is more severe than would be predicted by immunization with either Ag alone. The MOG plus MBP disease can be treated postinduction with a combination of the MOG 41-60 peptide (identified as the major therapeutic MOG epitope for this strain) and the MBP Ac1-11[4Y] peptide. A significant treatment effect can also be obtained by administration of the MBP peptide alone, but this effect is strictly dose dependent. This MBP peptide does not treat the disease induced only with MOG. These results suggest that peptide immunotherapy can provide an effective means of mitigating disease in this model, even when the treatment is targeted to only one component epitope or one component protein Ag of a diverse autoimmune response.