Immunological responses of guinea pigs to a synthetic autoantigen of brain

A synthetic peptide, Ser Arg Phe Ser Trp Gly Ala Glu Gly Gln Arg, of identical sequence to residues 112 to 122 of the basic protein of human myelin was active in guinea pigs in inducing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. This peptide did not induce a humoral immune response, but a cellular immune response was obtained, as judged by transformation of splenic lymphocytes when these were cultured with the human encephalitogenic protein, and by demonstration of macrophage inhibitory factor when peritoneal exudate cells were incubated with the protein.