Antibodies and T-lymphocytes having immune reactivity with proteins isomeris ed at an aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamine or glutamic acid residue are foun d to be associated with auto-immune conditions involving auto-reactivity to Ig G (rheumatoid arthritis) and myelin basic protein (multiple sclerosis). Diagnosis assays for auto-immune reactivity to isomerised protein sequences are described.
DETECTION OF ISOMERISED EPITOPES IN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES