Further, 60-kDa and 90-kDa heat shock proteins (hsp60 and hsp90), which may be target antigens for autoreactive gamma delta T cells, were found to be expressed in normal CNS tissue and overexpressed in acute MS plaques.
The results suggest that in this population genetic predisposition to MS is closely linked to the MBP gene and that polymorphism at the MBP locus or an adjacent locus has a role in the aetiology of MS.
In this relatively homogeneous ethnic group, MS was positively associated with DRB5*0101, DQB1*0602, and DQA1*0102 and negatively associated with DQB1*0301.
Novel DR,DQ linkage disequilibrium relationship in Hong Kong Chinese have permitted recognition of DQB1*0602 as a susceptibility allele in DR2-positive MS patients, although a role for the DRB1*1501 allele in MS pathogenesis has not been excluded by this study.
Novel DR,DQ linkage disequilibrium relationship in Hong Kong Chinese have permitted recognition of DQB1*0602 as a susceptibility allele in DR2-positive MS patients, although a role for the DRB1*1501 allele in MS pathogenesis has not been excluded by this study.
The hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) clonal assay was used to determine mutant frequency values in MS patients with chronic progressive disease.
Although no pathogenic relationship between this polymorphism and MS can be presupposed, this finding raises the possibility that the myelin basic protein gene or some other myelin basic protein-linked locus may be a factor in susceptibility to MS.
Investigations have demonstrated myelin basic protein (MBP)-reactive T cells that were activated in vivo in MS patients, suggesting that MBP may be a target antigen in MS.
Myelin autoreactivity in multiple sclerosis: recognition of myelin basic protein in the context of HLA-DR2 products by T lymphocytes of multiple-sclerosis patients and healthy donors.
MBP-specific clones isolated from four other MS patients also showed a consistent tendency for a predominant, but different, TCR V beta gene rearrangement.