The Concept of Specific Immune Treatment Against Autoimmune Diseases

Abstract

Copolymer 1 (Cop 1, Copaxone^®) is a synthetic ammo acid copolymer effective in suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). The suppressive effect of Cop 1 in EAE is not restricted to a certain species, disease type or encephalitogen used for EAE induction. In phases II and III clinical trials Cop 1 was found to slow progression of disability and reduce the relapse rate in exacerbating-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

To extend this concept we have more recently shown that a similar approach is possible in the case of myasthenia gravis. We used two myasthenogenic T cell epitopes of the human acetylcholine receptor α-subunit and demonstrated that they are capable of triggering peripheral blood lymphocytes of the majority (> 80%) of myasthenic patients tested. Both single amino acid analogs, and a dual analog composed of the tandemly arranged two single amino acid analogs were able to inhibit in vitro proliferative responses of T cell lines, and in vivo priming of lymph node cells. The dual analog inhibited experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis even when the mice were treated fourteen days after the injection of the pathogenic T cell line.

Key Words:

• Multiple sclerosis
• Allergic encephalomyelitis
• Copolymer 1
• Specific vaccine in autoimmunity
• Myasthenia gravis