Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0014070 (encephalomyelitis)
 13,017 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Cop 1 is a synthetic basic random copolymer of L-alanine, L-glutamic acid, L-lysine, and L-tyrosine in a residue molar ratio of 6.0:1.9:4.7:1.0 and with a molecular weight of 21,000 which proved to be effective in specific suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and has been proposed as a candidate drug against multiple sclerosis. In the present study we further investigated the mechanism of Cop 1 suppressive activity and tested whether Cop 1 could inhibit the specific T-cell response to myelin basic protein (BP). Eight BP-specific T-cell lines and clones with various H-2 restrictions and antigenic specificities were used. The responses of all these lines and clones to BP, as followed by both cell proliferation and interleukin 2 secretion assays, were affected by Cop 1. For one line, a direct cross proliferation with Cop 1 was observed, whereas in the other seven lines and clones, Cop 1 specifically inhibited the responses to BP in a competitive dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of the response to BP is specific to Cop 1, as D-Cop 1 and another random acidic polymer, poly(Tyr,Glu,Ala) (TGA), both of which were previously demonstrated to be ineffective in suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, did not inhibit the response to BP. Furthermore, Cop 1 specifically inhibited only the response of the T-cell lines and clones to BP. It did not inhibit their response to the mitogen Con A, nor did it inhibit the responses of the purified protein derivative-specific T-cell line and clone. These results suggest that Cop 1 may be effective in suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, not only because of the selective stimulation of suppressor T cells, as we have previously demonstrated, but also by specific inhibition of BP-specific effector T cells.
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PMID:Specific inhibition of the T-cell response to myelin basic protein by the synthetic copolymer Cop 1. 246 52

Cop 1 is a random polymer (molecular weight, 14,000 to 23,000) simulating myelin basic protein. It is synthesized by polymerizing L-alanine, L-glutamic acid, L-lysine, and L-tyrosine. It suppresses but does not induce experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, an animal model of multiple sclerosis. It is not toxic in animals. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial, we studied 50 patients with the exacerbating-remitting form of multiple sclerosis, who self-injected either 20 mg of Cop 1 dissolved in 1 ml of saline or saline alone daily for two years. Six of 23 patients in the placebo group (26 percent) and 14 of 25 patients in the Cop 1 group (56 percent) had no exacerbations (P = 0.045). There were 62 exacerbations in the placebo group and 16 in the Cop 1 group, yielding two-year averages of 2.7 and 0.6 per patient, respectively. Among patients who were less disabled on entry (Kurtzke disability score, 0 to 2), there were 2.7 exacerbations in the placebo group and 0.3 in the Cop 1 group over two years. Among patients who were more affected (Kurtzke disability score, 3 to 6), there was an average of 2.7 exacerbations in the placebo group and 1.0 in the Cop 1 group. Over two years, less disabled patients taking Cop 1 improved an average of 0.5 Kurtzke units; those taking placebo worsened an average of 1.2 Kurtzke units. More disabled patients worsened by 0.3 (Cop 1 group) and 0.4 (placebo group) unit. Irritation at injection sites and rare, transient vasomotor responses were observed as side effects. These results suggest that Cop 1 may be beneficial in patients with the exacerbating-remitting form of multiple sclerosis, but we emphasize that the study is a preliminary one and our data require confirmation by a more extensive clinical trial.
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PMID:A pilot trial of Cop 1 in exacerbating-remitting multiple sclerosis. 330 5

Copolymer 1 (Cop 1) is a random synthetic amino acid copolymer of L-alanine, L-glutamic acid, L-lysine, and L-tyrosine, effective both in suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and in the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Cop 1 binds promiscuously and very efficiently to living APCs of various HLA haplotypes. In the present study, a substantial part of the whole mixture of random polypeptides that compose Cop 1 was shown to bind to purified human HLA-DR1, DR2, and DR4 with high affinity in a temperature- and time (and, in the case of DR4, pH)-dependent manner, and was competitively inhibited by DR-restricted peptides, but not by peptide derivatives that bind with low affinity. Bacterial superantigens inhibited Cop 1 binding only at very high concentrations. The formation of the Cop 1-DR1 complex was also shown by SDS-PAGE. These findings represent the first direct evidence for interactions of Cop 1 with purified DR molecules, and suggest that its effectiveness in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis may be directly related to its binding in the groove of HLA-DR proteins.
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PMID:Promiscuous binding of synthetic copolymer 1 to purified HLA-DR molecules. 957 43

Copolymer 1 [poly(Y,E,A,K)] is a random synthetic amino acid copolymer of L-tyrosine, L-glutamic acid, L-alanine, and L-lysine that is effective both in suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and in the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Copolymer 1 binds promiscuously and very efficiently to purified HLA-DR molecules within the peptide-binding groove. In the present study, YEAK and YEAK-related copolymers and type II collagen (CII) peptide 261-273, a candidate autoantigen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), competed for binding to RA-associated HLA-DR molecules encoded by DRB1*0101 and DRB1*0401. Moreover, these copolymers (particularly YEAK, YAK, and YEK) inhibited the response of DR1- and DR4-restricted T cell clones to the CII epitope 261-273 by >50%. This direct evidence both for competitive interactions of these copolymers and CII peptide with RA-associated HLA-DR molecules and for inhibition of CII-specific T cell responses suggests that these compounds should be evaluated in animal models for rheumatoid arthritis.
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PMID:Synthetic amino acid copolymers that bind to HLA-DR proteins and inhibit type II collagen-reactive T cell clones. 977 May 19

Copolymer 1 [Cop 1, poly(Y,E,A,K)] is a random synthetic amino acid copolymer of L-tyrosine, L-glutamic acid, L-alanine and L-lysine, effective both in suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and in the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Cop 1 binds promiscuously and very efficiently to purified human HLA-DR molecules within the peptide-binding groove. In the present study the binding of copolymers composed of three of the four amino acids found in poly(Y,E,A,K) to purified class II MHC molecules was examined. Poly(Y,A,K) and poly(Y,E,A,K) bound to purified human HLA-DR1 or -DR4 molecules with affinity higher than poly(Y,E,A), poly(E,A,K) or poly(Y,E,K), whereas poly(Y,E,A,K) and poly(E,A,K) were the better binders of HLA-DR2 molecules. On the other hand, poly(Y,E,A) and poly(Y,A,K) inhibited the binding of biotinylated poly(Y,E,A,K) to these molecules 10-fold more efficiently than poly(Y,E,K). Finally, poly(Y,E,A), poly(Y,A,K) and poly(E,A,K) were cross-reactive with poly(Y,E,A,K) using YEAK-specific T cell lines and clones of mouse or human origin.
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PMID:Binding of random copolymers of three amino acids to class II MHC molecules. 1033 Feb 69

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered to be primarily an inflammatory autoimmune disease. Over the last 5 years, our view of the pathogenesis of MS has evolved considerably. The axonal damage was recognized as an early event in the disease process and as an important determinant of long-term disability. Therefore, the antiinflammatory and neuroprotective strategies are thought to represent promising approach to the therapy of MS. The therapeutic potential of glatiramer acetate (GA), a synthetic amino acid polymer composed of a mixture of L-glutamic acid, L-lysine, L-alanine, and L-tyrosine in defined proportions, in MS has been apparent for many years. GA has been shown to be effective in preventing and suppressing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), the animal model of MS. GA has been, therefore, evaluated in several clinical studies and found to alter the natural history of relapsing-remitting (RR)MS by reducing the relapse rate and affecting disability. These findings were confirmed in open-label follow-up trials covering more than 10 years of treatment. The trials demonstrated sustained efficacy for GA in slowing the progression of disability. The clinical therapeutic effect of GA is consistent with the results of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings from various clinical centers. At a daily standard dose of 20 mg, s.c., GA was generally well tolerated. The induction of GA-reactive T-helper 2-like regulatory suppressor cells is thought to be the main mechanism of the therapeutic action of this drug. In addition, it was recently shown that GA-reactive T cells produce neurotrophic factors (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF]) that protect neurons and axons in the area of injury.
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PMID:Glatiramer acetate in multiple sclerosis: a review. 1762 71