Trials of vaccination against experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis with a T-cell receptor peptide.

T lymphocytes which mediate several experimental autoimmune diseases, including encephalomyelitis (EAE) and uveoretinitis (EAU) in Lewis rats, preferentially utilize Vβ8 gene product in their receptor. Vaccination against a Vβ8.2-derived peptide was reported to inhibit EAE induction and we report here on the effect of vaccination with this peptide on the development of EAU. Experimental rats were pretreated with the Vβ8.2 peptide, emulsified in adjuvant (CFA), whereas control animals were untreated or injected with saline in CFA. Rats of all groups were immunized 30 or 40 days later with the immunopathogenic antigen, emulsified in Mycobacterium-enriched CFA. Vaccination with CFA emulsions containing either the Vβ8.2 peptide or saline, remarkably inhibited the development of the tested diseases, as compared to the untreated controls. Vaccination with the Vβ8.2 peptide had variable effects in this study on disease development: it inhibited the S-antigen-induced EAU more than did treatment with CFA in four o...