Abstract
Beta-synuclein is a neuronal protein that accumulates in the plaques that characterize neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. It has been proposed that immunization to peptides of plaque-forming proteins might be used therapeutically to help dissociate pathogenic plaques in the brain. We now report that immunization of Lewis rats with a peptide from beta-synuclein resulted in acute paralytic encephalomyelitis and uveitis. T cell lines and clones reactive to the peptide adoptively transferred the disease to naive rats. Immunoblotting revealed the presence of beta-synuclein in heavy myelin, indicating that the expression of beta-synuclein is not confined to neurons. These results add beta-synuclein to the roster of encephalitogenic self Ags, point out the potential danger of therapeutic autoimmunization to beta-synuclein, and alert us to the unsuspected possibility that autoimmunity to beta-synuclein might play an inflammatory role in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adoptive Transfer
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Amino Acid Motifs / immunology
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Autoantigens / administration & dosage
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Autoantigens / immunology*
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Cell Line / transplantation
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Clone Cells / transplantation
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Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / immunology*
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Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / pathology
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Female
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Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / administration & dosage
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Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / immunology
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Immunization / methods
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Injections, Subcutaneous
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Myelin Sheath / chemistry
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Myelin Sheath / immunology
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Myelin Sheath / metabolism
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / administration & dosage
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / immunology*
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / isolation & purification
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Peptide Fragments / administration & dosage
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Peptide Fragments / immunology
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Rats
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Rats, Inbred Lew
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Synucleins
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T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
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Th1 Cells / immunology
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Uveitis / immunology*
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Uveitis / pathology
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beta-Synuclein
Substances
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Autoantigens
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Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Peptide Fragments
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Sncb protein, rat
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Synucleins
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beta-Synuclein