[Susceptibility genes in immune-mediated neurological diseases]

Antigen presenting cells can express on the surface proteolytic fragments of antigens, which are bound to peptide-binding grooves formed by the heterodimeric MHC class II molecules. The grooves consist of highly polymorphic amino acid residues, determining affinity between antigenic peptides and peptide-binding grooves. Structural analyses of these peptides could identify amino acid motifs for the peptides to bind to each class II molecule. Detailed analyses of the peptides-MHC class II interactions revealed that the class II-binding peptides can regulate immune responses mediated by corresponding T cell receptors. These phenomina are the background for susceptibility to immune-mediated diseases.