Myelin basic protein (MBP) (MBP)

Myelin basic protein (MBP) is a major structural component of the myelin sheath in the central nervous system, essential for the compaction of myelin membranes and the maintenance of rapid nerve impulse conduction (UniProt P02686). The 18.5-kDa isoform is the most prevalent classic form in the adult human brain and is characterized as an intrinsically disordered protein that interacts with negatively charged lipids to stabilize the myelin structure (PubMed: 22403131). In clinical pathology, MBP is a primary autoantigen in multiple sclerosis (MS), where its degradation and the subsequent immune response lead to demyelination and axonal loss (PubMed: 17178794). Therapeutic interventions targeting MBP include glatiramer acetate, a random polymer of four amino acids that mimics MBP and acts as a decoy for the immune system, thereby reducing the frequency of MS relapses (DrugBank DB00987). Furthermore, the presence of MBP in the cerebrospinal fluid is utilized as a clinical biomarker for active demyelination and central nervous system tissue damage (PubMed: 12114497).

Other names

Myelin basic protein 18.5-kDa isoformClassic myelin basic proteinMBP isoform 4Myelin basic protein isoform 5Encephalitogenic antigen

Glatiramer acetate acts as a decoy, binding to MHC class II molecules to compete with myelin basic protein for presentation to T-cells, shifting the immune response from a pro-inflammatory Th1 profile to a regulatory Th2 profile (DrugBank DB00987). Other experimental therapies involve antigen-specific tolerance induction using MBP-derived peptides (PubMed: 17178794).