Theoretical perspectives of male sexual abuse: conceptualization of a case study.

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the traumatic impact that sexual abuse can have on a young male's development by addressing mediating dispositions that can render a child vulnerable to the effects of sexual abuse. Consideration is given to three different theoretical perspectives that are not exclusive to male victims but shed light on the impact that sexual abuse can have on the development of a young boy. These perspectives include early family relationships and attachment theory, developmental psychopathology, and trauma theory.

T cell lines specific for an immunodominant epitope of human basic protein define an encephalitogenic determinant for experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis-resistant LOU/M rats.

The LOU/M rat (RT-1w) haplotype, although resistant to an encephalitogenic challenge of guinea pig myelin basic protein (Gp-BP)/CFA and unresponsive to Gp-BP, responded strongly to human (Hu)-BP. Both T cell and antibody responses focused on the 110-129 determinant of Hu-BP, and T cells specific for this epitope transferred clinical and histologic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) to naive LOU/M rats. Moreover, EAE could be induced actively with Hu-BP and a synthetic Hu-S110-129 peptide in CFA, but only with co-immunomodulation by pertussis toxin or cyclophosphamide.

Antibodies specific for VB8 receptor peptide suppress experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Recent studies from our laboratory have shown, for the first time, that a synthetic peptide from that TCR VB chain used preferentially by encephalitogenic T cells induced the formation of protective, MHC class I-restricted T cells and prevented the development of EAE in Lewis rats. In this report we 1) demonstrate that immunization with the TCR-VB8-39-59 peptide generated peptide-specific antibodies that protect against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced by either of the two distinct encephalitogenic epitopes of basic protein, and 2) characterize the production and biologic functions of rat and rabbit antibody responses to the TCR peptide. The antibodies in both species increased in titer over time, were highly specific for the immunogen by direct reaction and inhibition assays, stained only VB8+ T cells, and suppressed clinical signs and to lesser extent the number of histologic lesions of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mediated by VB8+ T cells.