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. 2007 Oct;4(4):661–665. doi: 10.1016/j.nurt.2007.07.007

Antigen-specific therapy of multiple sclerosis: The long-sought magic bullet

Lawrence Steinman 1,✉
PMCID: PMC7479687  PMID: 17920547

Summary

The adaptive immune response in multiple sclerosis (MS) targets various myelin proteins and even some inducible heat shock proteins. A few attempts have been made to tolerize relapsing-remitting patients with MS to either full-length myelin basic protein or to a key peptide epitope between residues 83–99. These trials have demonstrated that this approach may potentially provide benefit to patients with relapsing-remitting MS. However, manipulation of responses to myelin proteins can have deleterious effects. The immune response to myelin components is positioned at a key tipping point in the pathophysiology of the disease. Clarification of the key target antigens in MS, and better understanding of practical methods to attain tolerance to a wide variety of myelin and neuronal molecules will provide the basis for the ultimately successful antigen specific therapy.

Key Words: Multiple sclerosis, altered peptide ligand, DNA vaccine, myelin basic protein, magic bullet

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