Ann Med Med Res | Volume 7, Issue 1 | Review Article | Open Access
Mizejewski GJ*
Division of Translational Medicine, Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State, Department of Health, Biggs Laboratory, USA
*Correspondance to: Gerald J Mizejewski
Fulltext PDFMultiple Sclerosis is a debilitating neurological Autoimmune Disorder (AD) which produces selfantibodies against the myelin-coating of axons in the Central Nervous System (CNS). Because this neuroinflammatory disorder is three times more prevalent in women of childbearing age, the occurrence of MS during pregnancy is commonly reported. Interestingly, most MS pregnant patients undergo a period of remission in the late second and the third trimester of pregnancy. However, a relapse of the MS disease occurs in the mother in the postpartum period accompanied by the return of maternal MS disorder symptoms. The clinical remission observations of MS during pregnancy have been reported by obstetricians since the 1980s. The mode of action of the remission has largely been attributed to the full-length Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) molecule in contrast to other serum biomarkers. Recently, the presence of a functional variant form of AFP has been reported which results in a stress/shock-induced transformational changed version of the full-length AFP molecule. However, the precise active amino acid segment of the AFP polypeptide responsible for change has never been identified. In the present report, the active amino acid site causing remissions during pregnancy has been determined to be a short amino acid fragment stretch buried within the full-length tertiary-folded AFP molecule.
Alpha-Fetoprotein; Autoimmunity; Multiple sclerosis; Remission; Peptides; Cell immunity; Immune system; Pregnancy
Mizejewski GJ. Role of Alpha- Fetoprotein and Derived Peptides in Remission of Autoimmune Diseases During Pregnancy: A Proposed Mechanism of Action. Ann Med Medical Res. 2024; 7: 1081..