Interaction of myelin basic protein (MBP) and the cytoplasmic leaflets of the oligodendrocyte membrane is essential for the formation and compaction of the myelin sheath of the central nervous system and is altered aberrantly and implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis.
Using pseudo-selected reaction monitoring and the method of standard additions, we have measured the myelin basic protein level in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurotrauma (n = 6), chronic neurodegenerative diseases (n = 2) and brain cancer (n = 5).
Naturally occurring autoantibodies (NAbs) against a number of potentially disease-associated cellular proteins, including Amyloid-beta1-42 (Abeta1-42), Alpha-synuclein (Asyn), myelin basic protein (MBP), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), and S100 calcium binding protein B (S100B) have been suggested to be associated with neurodegenerative disorders, in particular Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD).
In the field of neurodegenerative disease, the potential of pDNA as a tool for vaccination has attracted researchers since pDNA itself has shown adjuvant properties and the potential to induce immunity or immune tolerance. pDNA encoding disease antigens, such as amyloid-Aβ in Alzheimer disease or myelin basic protein in multiple sclerosis (MS), was shown to have therapeutic effects in rodents, and its efficacy and safety were reported in a phase I/II clinical study in MS.