Novel peptides for the treatment of multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) arises from T cell-mediated destruction of the myelin sheath. In MS patients who express the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR2 haplotype (about two-thirds of MS patients), the major T cell response is directed to a region between residues 85 and 99 of myelin basic protein (MBP^{85 – 99}) presented on HLA-DR2. One approved medication for MS, amino acid copolymer-1 (Cop-1, Copaxone^TM, Teva) is thought to alter this anti-MBP^{85 – 99} response by interacting with HLA-DR2, but is only partially effective. Here, synthetic peptides were designed according to the binding motif of MBP^{85 – 99} and the binding pockets of HLA-DR2. It is claimed that some of these peptides, which bind to HLA-DR2 and inhibit activation of MBP-specific T cell lines better than Cop-1, might be more effective than the latter for MS therapy.