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 e xpressed in multiple sclerosis (MS) plaques and on myelin basic protei n (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 th erapy, whereas nonresponders had an increased MBP response and progres sed clinically. Peptide-specific T helper 2 cells directly inhibited M BP-specific T helper 1 cells in vitro through the release of interleuk in-10, implicating a bystander suppression mechanism that holds promis e for treatment of MS and other autoimmune diseases.