Use of autoantigen HC gp-39 and proteins structurally related thereto in immunotherapy of autoimmune diseases particularly rheumatoid arthritis

摘要

Disclosed is the use of autoantigen HC gp-39, and substantially pure proteins comprising amino acid sequences which exhibit at least 70 % homology with the amino acid YKLVCYYTSW SQYREGDGSCFPDALDRFLCTHIIYSFANISND (SEQ ID NO:1) in antigen-specific treatment of autoimmune disease induced articular cartilage destruction by inducing systemic tolerance of the immune system. The described autoantigen with the amino acid sequence YKLVCYY TSWSQYREGDGSCFPDALDR-FLCTHIIYSFANISND (SEQ ID NO:1) is also suitable to induce arthritis in animals, preferably mice. The invention furthermore relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said autoantigen and/or said arthritogenic proteins and a diagnostic drug screening method for the detection of autoreactive T cells indicative of rheumatoid arthritis.