Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies of Peptide Analogues of the Myelin Basic Protein Epitope MBP72–85

Abstract

Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis (E.A.E.) is induced in susceptible animals by immunodominant determinants of Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) [1]. Analogues of these desease- associated peptides have been identified which alter disease progression upon coimmunization. Based on the peptide sequence MBP72-85 of guinea pig, which has been found to be recognised by encephalitogenic T cell, two linear peptide analogues have been synthesized and their biological activity was assessed in the E.A.E. system. The linear analogue Gln1-Lys2-Ser3-Gln4-Arg -Ser6-Gln7-Asp8-Glu9-Asn10-Prou-Val12 (1) induces E.A.E. while substitution of Asp at position 8 with Ala results in an analogue (2) which suppresses the induction of E.A.E. [2].