DR (MHC class II) ligands: an approach to rheumatoid arthritis therapeutics

The presentation of peptide antigens to T-cells by MHC Class II proteins is a central process in cellular and humoral immune responses. Blockade of this presentation event via synthetic ligands that bind to disease-associated MHCs (such as DR1 and DR4) may be useful for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, lupus erthymatosis and Graves disease. Recently reported synthetic ligands for DR1 and DR4 are short modified peptides (2-7 mers) capable of competing at nanomolar concentrations with antigenic peptides for the DR (MHC) binding groove.