Class II MHC binding peptides: a feasible treatment for arthritis?

The association of rheumatoid arthritis with the MHC class II alleles HLA DR4 and HLA DR1 may be due to their capacity to present an arthritogenic peptide to T cells, thus inducing the disease. Interfering with this presentation using a competitor peptide would inhibit the disease and such therapy has been effective in animal models. These studies, and the possibility of transferring the therapy to humans, will be reviewed.