abstract |
Synthetic unaltered and altered peptides comprising sequences of at least one immunogenic epitope cluster (IEC) of at least one human autoantigen related to multiple sclerosis (MS) and at least one nonameric core sequence which fits into the MS-relevant HLA-DR/DQ molecule and is flanked by 2-5 amino acids at its N- and C-termini, are provided. The alteration is preferably by substituting 1to 3 TCR contact residues by Ala. The autoantigen is preferably MOG, MBP, OSP, MOBP and PLP. Polypeptides comprising at least two such peptides of a sole autoantigen or at least one peptide of two different autoantigens, and synthetic genes encoding them, are also provided, as well as pharmaceutical compositions for treatment and diagnostic of MS. |