IFNB1 (118-132) Human deimmunised – Neuroscience Peptides

Recombinant human interferon-β (IFNB) is a therapeutic for specific stages of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, a significant portion of patients develop neutralising antibodies within two years which prevent the clinical efficacy of the treatment- this was correlated to a specific rise in IgG. Sequencing of IFNB1 revealed CD4+ T cell epitope residues (118-132) that contain critical T cell activation residues. Identifying these sequences allows them to be manipulated to provide new interferon treatments that reduce the capacity to induce neutralising antibodies in MS patients. In addition, the critical residue isoleucine has been mutated to valine and shown to reduce the immunological response to this epitope. This IFNB1 (118-132) epitope can be used for immunological investigations as a deimmunised version of the epitope. In addition, it can be used as a control for T cell activation and antibody recognition via immunoassays and immunohistochemistry. This may provide further insights into specific haplotypes correlating to IFNB responses in MS treatment.