A molecular view of multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalitis: What can we learn from the epitope data?

• We inventoried all reported epitope data captured in the Immune Epitope Database.
• Includes T cell and antibody epitopes from myelin and non-myelin antigens
• Comparisons of MS and EAE T and Ab reactivity showed overlaps and contrasts.
• Analysis of immunomodulation, therapeutics and immunopathology shows knowledge gaps.
• Responses to epitopes from infectious agents by MS patients were also examined.

An analysis to inventory all immune epitope data related to multiple sclerosis (MS) was performed using the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB). The analysis revealed that MS related data represent > 20% of all autoimmune data, and that studies of EAE predominate; only 22% of the references describe human data. To date, > 5800 unique peptides, analogs, mimotopes, and/or non-protein epitopes have been reported from 861 references, including data describing myelin-containing, as well as non-myelin antigens. This work provides a reference point for the scientific community of the universe of available data for MS-related adaptive immunity in the context of EAE and human disease.