Localization of an enciphalitogenic epitope for the SJL mouse in the N-terminal region of myelin basic protein

Abstract

T cells from SJL mice reactive with myelin basic protein peptide 1–38 have been reported to be encephalitogenic when adoptively transferred into naive syngeneic recipients. To determine whether the encephalitogenic epitope recognized by peptide 1–38-specific SJL T cells was different from those recognized by H-2 u-restricted MBP peptide 1–38-specific T cells, peptide 1–38-specific SJL T cell lines were developed following immunization with guinea pig MBP peptide 1–38. Following a period of in vitro selection in the presence of peptide 1–38 and syngeneic antigen-presenting cells, one ot two T cell lines transfered severe clinical disease adoptively. The second line was not encepahlitogenic. When the fine specificity for antigen of the two T cell lines was determined by the use of overlapping synthetic peptides, the encephalitogenic epitope recognized by the encephalitogenic line was loacalized to residues 17–27. This epitope is clearly distinct from that recognized by H-2 u mice. The non-encephalitogenic line was found to react only with peptide 1–38, and did not react with mouse MBP.