MINIREVIEW - AUTOIMMUNE RESPONSES TO MYELIN PROTEOLIPID PROTEIN

The authors present a brief historical sketch of the development of ou r understanding of immune responses to myelin proteolipid protein (PLP ) and the acceptance of PLP as a potent antigen in the induction of ex perimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). The distinct characterist ics of the PLP molecule that may contribute to complex immune response s to this protein are reviewed and these responses are compared with t hose to MBP, both in the pathology of EAE and at the level of the T ce ll. Recent evidence demonstrating differences between T cell responses to PLP and MBP is reviewed. Finally, the potential contribution of im mune responses to PLP in human diseases, particularly multiple scleros is (MS), that have been identified to date are then summarized.