Treatment of multiple sclerosis with T-cell receptor peptides: results of a double-blind pilot trial.

A T-cell receptor (TCR) peptide vaccine from the V beta 5.2 sequence expressed in multiple sclerosis (MS) plaques and on myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific T cells boosted peptide-reactive T cells in patients with progressive MS. Vaccine responders had a reduced MBP response and remained clinically stable without side effects during one year of therapy, whereas nonresponders had an increased MBP response and progressed clinically.

Immunity to TCR peptides in multiple sclerosis. I. Successful immunization of patients with synthetic V beta 5.2 and V beta 6.1 CDR2 peptides.

Immunization with disease-associated TCR V region peptides is an effective treatment for experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Myelin basic protein-specific T cells, which induce experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in many animal strains, may be important in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. Myelin basic protein-specific T cell clones from some multiple sclerosis patients preferentially use TCR V genes from the V beta 5.