FR2841786A1 - Use of specific polypeptides of the calgranulin B family for diagnosis and therapy of degenerative, neurological or autoimmune diseases, especially multiple sclerosis - Google Patents

Abstract

Use of at least one polypeptide (I), comprising at least part of a protein (II), to prepare a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition for detection, prevention or treatment of a pathological state associated with degenerative, neurological and/or autoimmune diseases, is new. Use of at least one polypeptide (I), comprising at least part of a protein (II), to prepare a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition for detection, prevention or treatment of a pathological state associated with degenerative, neurological and/or autoimmune diseases, is new. (II) comprises: (a) any of SEQ IDs 17 (114 aa (amino acids)), 18 (93 aa); 19 (92 aa), 20 (92 aa), 21 (91 aa), 22 (93 aa) or 23 (92 aa), in native form; (b) a sequence at least 70, preferably 98,% identical with (a); or (c) a peptide sequence, or its fragment, belonging to the calgranulin B family. Independent claims are also included for: (1) similar use of nucleic acid fragments (II) that encode (I); (2) similar use of ligands (L) that are specific for (I) or (II); (3) detecting either (I) or (L) by formation of a complex with the other of (I) and (L); (4) detecting (I) by mass spectrometric analysis of a biological fluid; and (5) use of (I) or (II) for testing the efficacy of therapeutic agents. ACTIVITY : Neuroprotective; Nootropic; Antiparkinsonian; Antirheumatic; Antiarthritic; Dermatological; Immunosuppressive; Antiinflammatory. No biological data given. MECHANISM OF ACTION : Modulator of the activity or expression of a calgranulin B family member.

Description

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 The present invention relates in particular to the use of at least one polypeptide, for obtaining a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, prevent or treat a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or autoimmune disease and / or neurological.

 According to the invention, by degenerative disease is meant a disease in which a process of cell death or cell destruction is associated with physiological and / or clinical disorders. Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease are classified among neurodegenerative diseases. By autoimmune disease is meant hyperreactivity of the immune system with respect to one or more autoantigens. Multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and lupus erythematosus are classified as autoimmune diseases.

 Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system of man, evolving by succession of remission and pushing phases or according to a regular progression, whose anatomopathological characteristic consists in the formation of demyelination zones well delimited in the substance brain and spinal cord.

 Histologically, these areas present at the early stage of the lesion process, a breakdown of the peri-axonal myelin associated with an attack of the glial cells responsible for this demyelination. Macrophagic inflammatory activation involving microglial cells (tissue macrophages residing in the central nervous system), as well as probably macrophages from infiltrated blood monocytes, is associated with this demyelination process and contributes to the destruction of myelinated sheets. In the center of the demyelinated area, a relative depletion of glial cells is found while a proliferation of astrocytes develops at the periphery and can invade the demyelinated plaque to generate a fibrous or gliotic plaque. These sclerotic structures are at the origin of the name given to the disease.

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 Another characteristic of these plaques is their almost systematic association with a vascular element around which they develop.

 Histologically, there is a frequent alteration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) constituted by the capillary endothelium. One of the determining elements in the maintenance of the BBB is constituted by the underlying presence of cytoplasmic extensions of astrocytes, called astrocytic feet. Presumably, the astrocytic feet induce the formation or allow the maintenance of tight junction structures which ensure the cohesion of the capillary endothelial barrier embodying the BBB. However, various pathological models report the alteration of the BBB and a depletion of the astrocytic feet.

 In addition, in the lesional process of MS, the alteration of the BBB contributes to amplifying the associated inflammatory response, by the influx of lymphoid cells from the bloodstream. The contribution of inflammation associated with immune cells is important in MS and participates in the lesional process.

 The etiology of MS is the source of a current debate because the disease could have various origins. Hypotheses have been put forward on a bacterial and / or viral origin. Furthermore, as described in patent application WO 95/21859, H. Perron et al. have been led to search for one or more effector agents of the pathogenic process leading to the typical formation of demyelination plaques and to an astrocytic gliosis. As part of this study, they highlighted the presence in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the serum of MS patients of at least one factor which has a toxic activity with respect to human or animal astrocytic and oligodendrocytic cells. This toxic activity is characterized by cytomorphological disorganization of the network of intermediate filaments and / or degradation of the proteins of said filaments and / or cell death by apoptosis of glial cells. They established a significant correlation between the in vitro detection of this toxic activity in CSF and serum samples from MS patients and multiple sclerosis by a quantitative colorimetric assay with methyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) of living cells, as described in patent application WO 95/21859. Furthermore, C. Malcus-Vocanson et al. showed

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 that urine is a very favorable biological fluid for the detection of the activity of this toxic factor and developed a method using flow cytometry to detect and / or quantify adherent glial cells dead by apoptosis. All the information concerning this process is described in patent application WO 98/11439, the content of which is incorporated by way of reference.

 Tests have been carried out using a protein fraction of CSF and urine from MS patients in an attempt to identify this toxic factor. The protein content of each fraction was separated on a 12% SDS-PAGE gel and observed after staining the gel with silver. Among the proteins observed, a protein fraction centered on an apparent molecular weight of approximately 21 kD was found in the majority associated with the toxic activity detected in vitro and a fraction centered on an apparent molecular weight of approximately 17 kD was found mainly associated with this toxic activity.

 An injection of the LCR fraction from MS patients into the Lewis rat brain and a post-mortem histological observation of rat brain sections made it possible to observe, three months after the injection, apoptosis of the astrocytic population and the formation of demyelination plaques. All the information is contained in patent application WO 97/33466, the content of which is incorporated by reference. These observations are consistent with those that have been made on brain sections of MS patients, after biopsy (N. Benjelloun et al. Cell.

Mol. Biol., 1998, 44 (4), 579-583).

 The present inventors have now identified and analyzed the proteins associated with this toxic activity with respect to glial cells in biological samples from MS patients, in particular in urine, cerebrospinal fluid and serum.

 After purification of the proteins and separation on SDS-TRICINE gel, the inventors have demonstrated the presence of four bands of interest of different apparent molecular weights, of 8.14, 18 and 20 kD respectively, corresponding to at least five families of proteins. different. The proteins of these families were then analyzed by mass spectrometry and / or sequencing and search for homology in databases (NCBI http: /ww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, Basic Blast Search,

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 Protein Blastp, the protein sequences are entered in FASTA format in the nr database, the algorithm used is Matrix BLOSUM62, the identity called Identities corresponds to the number of identical amino acids given as a percentage and the Positive positivity corresponds to amino acids presenting a biological equivalence according to the above-mentioned parameters of the software given as a percentage). These proteins belong to the families of proteins of Perlecan, of the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, of the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, of calgranulin and of saposin B. More specifically, the proteins are (i) for the 20 kD band the C-terminal fragment of Perlecan which begins at amino acid 3464 and ends at amino acid 3707 (Murdoch AD et al. J Biol Chem, 1992, April 25; 267 (12): 8544 -47), and referenced in the sequence identifier SEQ ID N 2 (the whole protein Perlecan being referenced in SEQ ID N 1), (ii) for the 20 kD band the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein ( Monaco HL et al., Science, 1995,268 (5213): 1039-1041) whose sequence is given in SEQ ID N 4, (iii) for the 18 kD band the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2 (Furst W et al., Euro J Biochem, 1990, Sep 24; 193 (3): 709-14) identified in SEQ ID N 8, (iv) for the 14 k band D calgranulin B (Lagasse E et al., Mol Cell Biol, 1988, Jun; 8 (6): 2402-10) identified in SEQ ID N 17 and (v) for the 8 kD band saposin B (Kleinschmidt T et al., Biol Chem Hoppe Seyler, 1988, Dec; 369 (12): 1361 -5) shown in SEQ ID N 24. They have also demonstrated the presence of variant sequences to said reference sequences, in particular for the 18 kD band a variant sequence of the ganglioside activator GM2 precursor referenced SEQ ID N 9. These variant protein sequences are the product of mutations in the genes coding for said proteins or are the results of splicing phenomena. It should be noted, for example, that calprotectin is a variant of calgranulin B.

 The C-terminal fragment of the Perlecan protein (SEQ ID N 2) is coded for example by the DNA nucleotide sequence SEQ ID N 69, taking into account the genetic code. The precursor protein of the plasma retinol binding protein (SEQ ID N 4) is coded for example by the DNA nucleotide sequence SEQ ID

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 N 70, taking into account the genetic code. The GM2 activating protein (SEQ ID N 8) is coded for example by the DNA nucleotide sequence SEQ ID N 31, taking into account the genetic code. The FSWDNCFEGK DPAVIR and YSLPKSEFAV PDLELP peptides derived from the mutated GM2 activating polypeptide (SEQ ID N 9) are encoded by the DNA nucleotide sequences SEQ ID N 66 and SEQ ID N 67 respectively, taking into account the genetic code. The protein calgranulin B (SEQ ID N 17) is coded for example by the DNA nucleotide sequence SEQ ID N 42, taking into account the genetic code. The protein saposin B (SEQ ID N 24) is coded for example by the DNA nucleotide sequence SEQ ID N 53, taking into account the genetic code.

 The term “protein family” means all of the proteins encoded from the same DNA gene and which result from a differential multi-splicing of the gene and / or from a different reading frame. The DNA gene is transcribed with alternative splicing phenomena which leads to the translation of different primary protein sequences. All these proteins belong to the same protein family. Also included in the term protein family are proteins which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98% identity with a reference protein sequence of the family.

 The term “multi-splicing” is intended to mean splicing occurring at least once in the nucleotide region of interest.

 For example, by family of protein which is a precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, is meant the family of proteins comprising at least the proteins or protein fragments of sequence SEQ ID N 4, SEQ IDN 5, SEQ ID N 6, SEQ ID N 7, and the proteins encoded by the corresponding gene according to different reading frames.

 For example, by family of GM2 activating protein, is meant the family of proteins comprising at least the proteins or protein fragments of sequence SEQ ID N 8, SEQ ID N 9, SEQ ID N 10, SEQ ID N 11, SEQ ID N 12, SEQ ID N 13, SEQ ID N 14, SEQ ID N 15, SEQ ID N 16, and the proteins encoded by the corresponding gene according to different reading frames, which result from differential multi-splicing of the gene and / or a different reading frame.

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 For example, by family of protein calgranulin B, is meant the family of proteins comprising at least the proteins or protein fragments of sequence SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the proteins encoded by the corresponding gene according to different reading frames, which result from a differential multi-splicing of the gene and / or from a different reading frame. The proteins MRP14 (SEQ ID N 17) and MRP8 (SEQ ID N 18) have a different protein sequence while being encoded by the same gene; they belong to the same protein family.

 For example, by family of protein saposin B, is meant the family of proteins comprising at least the proteins or protein fragments of sequence SEQ ID N 24, SEQ ID N 25, SEQ ID N 26, SEQ ID N 27, SEQ ID N 28, SEQ IDN 29, and the proteins coded by the corresponding gene according to different reading frames, which result from a differential multi-splicing of the gene and / or from a different reading frame.

 By family of nucleic acids coding for a protein is meant all of the cDNA and / or RNA nucleic sequences transcribed from the same DNA gene and which result from differential multi-splicing. The DNA gene is transcribed with differential splicing phenomena and leads to the synthesis of different nucleic acids (cDNA, RNA) of different sequences. All these cDNA and mRNA sequences are considered to belong to the same family of nucleic acids.

 For example, by family of nucleic acids coding for the family of precursor protein of the retinol-binding plasma protein, is meant the family of nucleic acids comprising at least the nucleic acids or fragments of sequence SEQ ID N 30.

 For example, by family of nucleic acids coding for the family of activating protein of GM2, is meant the family of nucleic acids comprising at least the nucleic acids or fragments of sequences SEQ ID N 31, SEQ ID N 32, SEQ ID N 33, SEQ ID N 34, SEQ ID N 35, SEQ ID N 36, SEQ ID N 37, SEQ ID N 38, SEQ ID N 39, SEQ ID N 40, SEQ ID N 41 which result from differential multi-splicing of the gene and / or a different reading frame.

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 For example, by family of nucleic acids coding for the family of protein calgranulin B, is meant the family of nucleic acids comprising at least the nucleic acids or fragments of sequences SEQ ID N 42, SEQ ID N 43, SEQ ID N 44 , SEQ ID N 45, SEQ ID N 46, SEQ ID N 47, SEQ ID N 48, SEQ ID N 49, SEQ ID N 50, SEQ ID N 51, SEQ ID N 52 which result from differential multi-splicing of the gene and / or a different reading frame.

 For example, by family of nucleic acids coding for the protein family saposin B, is meant the family of nucleic acids comprising at least the nucleic acids or fragment of sequences SEQ ID N 53, SEQ ID N 54, SEQ ID N 55 which result from a differential multi-splicing of the gene and / or from a different reading frame.

 By splicing is meant a mechanism for excision of introns and splicing of exons during the maturation of transcripts and by differential splicing is meant the existence of several patterns of splicing of a primary transcript resulting in the formation of different RNAs messengers and, which can give rise to the synthesis of several different proteins (Kaplan and Delpech, Molecular Biology and Medicine, 1993, 2nd edition, Medicine and Sciences, Flammarion, pages 73-77). THIS phenomenon is widely described in the scientific literature. By way of example, mention may be made of the model of the genes which code for the heavy and light chains of immunoglobulins, the model of the dystrophin gene, the model of the alpha amylase gene, the gene of myelin, etc. ..

 It is known that eukaryotic genes, in particular, include regions (exons) which code for fragments of the protein encoded by said gene and other regions (introns) which have no protein equivalent. This is due to. because the genes are first transcribed into a primary RNA which is then cut by splicing enzymes at specific nucleotide sites (splicing sites). These enzymes then join together the regions coding for the protein, thus reconstituting a secondary RNA from which the intronic regions have been eliminated. Furthermore, according to cellular phenotypes (and therefore tissues or differentiation) these enzymes are not all expressed and, thus, one. same RNA can be spliced differently in the cells of the same individual, thus generating proteins with differences in

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 sequence. However, these phenomena can also apply to nucleotide regions which are entirely coding (exons), but which, according to. Different possible splices will generate several different proteins from the same nucleotide region, by differential splicing phenomenon between the different protein products. several translation initiating codons in several reading phases and / or a primary RNA splicing splicing the nucleotic sequences present in different reading phases on DNA, allows the same DNA region to generate protein products without relationships between them , from the point of view of the peptide sequence.

 Finally, the genetic polymorphism existing between individuals of the same species and / or individual mutations can create or delete splicing sites in a given DNA region and, thus, modify the sequence and structure of the protein product (s) normally. produced by this region.

 Thus, the combination of these different phenomena can allow the same nucleotide sequence corresponding to a segment of DNA, identified as determining a genetic region of interest in a given study, to include the information necessary and sufficient to define an entire family. of RNA spliced according to differential and alternative patterns, in various reading frames and, therefore obviously, of proteins and polypeptides having mosaic sequences according to a reading frame or even according to the three potential frames and mutations possibly linked to polymorphism genetic.

An example of this phenomenon can be represented by the nucleotide region of the env gene of the HIV-1 retrovirus. Indeed, several different proteins are coded by segments of the same sequence: for example, the envelope glycoprotein, and the regulatory proteins TAT, REV, NEF, VIF
It is also known that proteins can result from the assembly of identical (homodimers, homomultimers) or different (heterodimers, heteromultimers) subunits. Thus, the various protein products encoded by the same DNA region can also be assembled together to form complex multimeric protein entities. This phenomenon is added to the preceding ones and, when a protein is identified by a peptide fragment, one can logically identify all the other elements

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 constitutive of this complex protein and the DNA and spliced RNA segments which encode them, as well as all the members of the family of protein products and their assemblies.

 Another example is provided by the region of human DNA coding for the protein family MRP14 or calgranulin B, MRP8, calprotectin, psoriasin, etc.

 The subject of the present invention is also the use of at least one polypeptide comprising at least one fragment of a protein for obtaining a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, prognosticate, prevent or treat a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or autoimmune disease, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 2, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 4, SEQ ID N 5, SEQ ID N 6, SEQ ID N 7, SEQ ID N 8, SEQ ID N 10, SEQ ID N 11, SEQ ID N 12, SEQ ID N 13, SEQ ID N 14, SEQ ID N 15, SEQ ID N 16, SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, SEQ ID N 24, SEQ ID N 25, SEQ ID N 26, SEQ ID N 27, SEQ ID N 28 and SEQ ID N 29 and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98% identity with any of the aforementioned peptide sequences, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, of the precursor of activator of ganglioside GM2, of calgranulin B and of saposin B. In particular embodiments at least two aforementioned polypeptides are used in combination to obtain a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, prognosticate, prevent or treat a medical condition associated with a degenerative and / or autoimmune disease.

 The invention also relates to the use of at least one polypeptide comprising at least one fragment of a protein for obtaining a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, predict, prevent or treat a pathological condition associated with a disease. degenerative and / or autoimmune, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 2, SEQ ID N 4, SEQ ID

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 N 8, SEQ ID N 17 and SEQ ID N 24 and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98% identity with any of the aforementioned peptide sequences.

Advantageously, the five polypeptides which meet the above definition are used in combination.

 Preferably, the peptide sequence of said polypeptide comprises, or consists of a sequence chosen from any one of SEQ ID N 2, SEQ ID N 4, SEQ ID N 8, SEQ ID N 17 and SEQ ID N 24.

 The invention also relates to the use of at least one fragment of one of the above-mentioned polypeptides for the preparation of an immunogenic peptide, said peptide comprising all or part of at least one of the sequences referenced SEQ ID N s 58 to 65 and being used for the production of monoclonal antibodies.

 The subject of the invention is also the use of at least one nucleotide fragment, for obtaining a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, prognosticate, prevent or treat a pathological condition associated with a degenerative disease and / or autoimmune, according to which said nucleotide fragment is chosen from fragments which code for at least one fragment of a protein, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 2, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 4, SEQ ID N 5, SEQ ID N 6, SEQ ID N 7, SEQ ID N 8, SEQ ID N 10, SEQ ID N 11, SEQ ID N 12, SEQ ID N 13, SEQ ID N 14, SEQ ID N 15, SEQ ID N 16, SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, SEQ ID N 24, SEQ ID N 25, SEQ ID N 26, SEQ ID N 27, SEQ ID N 28 AND SEQ ID N 29 and the peptide sequences which present at least s 70% identity, preferably at least 80% and advantageously at least 98% identity with any of the above peptide sequences, and the complementary fragments of said fragments, and the peptide sequences or fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B.

It is within the capacity of a person skilled in the art to determine the nucleic acid sequences of

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 nucleotide fragments from the peptide sequences and the genetic code, this being part of his general knowledge.

Advantageously, the abovementioned nucleotide fragment codes for said protein.

 Preferably, said nucleotide fragment codes for a protein which in the native state consists of a sequence chosen from any one of the SEQ ID N s 1 to 8 and SEQ ID N s 10 to 29 above, and from the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B.

 Another object of the invention is the use of at least one nucleotide fragment to obtain a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, predict, prevent or treat a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or neurological disease and / or autoimmune according to which said fragment is a fragment of a nucleic sequence chosen from any one of SEQ ID N 30, SEQ ID N 31, SEQ ID N 32, SEQ ID N 33, SEQ ID N 34, SEQ ID N 35, SEQ ID N 36, SEQ ID N 37, SEQ ID N 38, SEQ ID N 39, SEQ ID N 40, SEQ ID N 41, SEQ ID N 42, SEQ ID N 43, SEQ ID N 44, SEQ ID N 45, SEQ ID N 46 and SEQ ID N 47, SEQ ID N 48, SEQ ID N 49 and SEQ ID N 50, SEQ ID N 51, SEQ ID N 52, SEQ ID N 53, SEQ ID N 54, SEQ ID N 55, SEQ ID N 56, SEQ ID N 57, SEQ ID N 66, SEQ ID N 67, SEQ ID N 69, SEQ ID N 70 and SEQ ID N 71 and their complementary sequences.

 The invention also relates to the use of a specific ligand for a polypeptide or a nucleotide fragment as defined above for obtaining a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, prognosticate, prevent or treat a condition pathological associated with a degenerative and / or autoimmune disease.

 By ligand is meant any molecule capable of associating with the polypeptide, such as a monoclonal antibody, a polyclonal antibody, a receptor, a substrate for enzymatic activity, an enzyme of which said polypeptide is a co-factor. The

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 production of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies is part of the general knowledge of those skilled in the art. By way of reference, there may be mentioned Kôhler G. and Milstein C. (1975): Continuous culture of fused cells secreting antibody of predefined specificity, Nature 256: 495-497 and Galfre G. et al. (1977) Nature, 266: 522-550 for the production of monoclonal antibodies and Roda A., Bolelli G.F.: Productionof high-titer antibody to bile acids, Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, Vol. 13, pp 449-454 (1980) for the production of polyclonal antibodies.

By ligand is also meant any molecule capable of associating with a nucleotide fragment, such as a partially or completely complementary nucleotide fragment, a complementary polynucleotide, an anti-nucleic acid antibody. The production of nucleotide fragments or polynucleotides is part of the general knowledge of a person skilled in the art. Mention may in particular be made of the use of restriction enzymes, and chemical synthesis on an automatic synthesizer, for example on synthesizers sold by the company Applied Biosystem. Furthermore, techniques are known for the production of anti-nucleic acid antibodies. By way of example, mention may be made of Philippe Cros et al., Nucleic Acides Researc, 1994, Vol. 22, N. 15, 2951-2957; Anderson, WF et al. (1988) Bioessays, 8 (2), 69-74; Lee, JS et al. (1984) FEBS Lett., 168, 303-306; Malfoy, B. et al. (1982) Biochemistry, 21 (22), 5463-5467; Stollar, BD et al., JJ (eds) Methods in Enzymology, Academic Press, pp 70-85; F. et al. (1989) J. Immunol. Meth.,
123, 83-91 and Traincard, F. et al. (1989) Mol. Cell. Probes, 3, 27-38).

The invention also relates to a method for detecting at least one protein associated with a degenerative and / or autoimmune disease, in a biological sample in which the biological sample is brought into contact with at least one ligand specific for at least one polypeptide, said polypeptide comprising at least one fragment of a protein and said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 2, SEQ ID N
3, SEQ ID N 4, SEQ ID N 5, SEQ ID N 6, SEQ ID N 7, SEQ ID N 8, SEQ ID N
10, SEQ ID N 11, SEQ ID N 12, SEQ ID N 13, SEQ ID N 14, SEQ ID N 15, SEQ ID N 16, SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, SEQ ID N 24, SEQ ID N 25, SEQ ID N 26, SEQ

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 ID N 27, SEQ ID N 28 and SEQ ID N 29 and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the sequences peptides SEQ ID N 1 to SEQ ID N 8 and SEQ ID N 10 to 29, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, of the ganglioside GM2 activator precursor, of calgranulin B and of saposin B, then the formation of a complex is detected between said polypeptide and said ligand. Said ligand is advantageously a monoclonal antibody, a polyclonal antibody, a receptor, a substrate for enzymatic activity or an enzyme of which said polypeptide is a cofactor.

 Likewise, the invention relates to a method for detecting at least one ligand associated with a degenerative and / or autoimmune disease, in a biological sample, characterized in that the biological sample is brought into contact with at least one polypeptide comprising at least one fragment of a protein, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 2, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 4, SEQ ID N 5, SEQ ID N 6, SEQ ID N 7, SEQ ID N 8, SEQ ID N 10, SEQ ID N 11, SEQ ID N 12, SEQ ID N 13, SEQ ID N 14, SEQ ID N 15, SEQ ID N 16, SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, SEQ ID N 24, SEQ ID N 25, SEQ ID N 26, SEQ ID N 27, SEQ ID N 28 and SEQ ID N 29 and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98% identity with any of s peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to SEQ ID N 8 and SEQ ID N s 10 to SEQ ID N 29, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the protein plasma binding to retinol, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B, then the formation of a complex is detected between said polypeptide and said ligand. The ligand is any molecule which meets the conditions previously described.

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 Preferably, in the methods described above, the sequence of the polypeptide comprises or consists of a peptide sequence chosen from any one of the preceding SEQ ID N 1 to 8 and SEQ ID N 10 to 29 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B.

 Preferably, the biological sample is urine, cerebrospinal fluid or serum.

 The invention also relates to a new polypeptide which comprises at least one fragment of a protein whose peptide sequence corresponds to SEQ ID N 9, said fragment having at least one mutation, in particular at least two mutations with respect to the reference sequence SEQ ID N 8. The polypeptide is advantageously chosen from polypeptides which comprise the amino acid sequence FSWDNCFEGKDPAVIR, referenced SEQ ID N 68 and the amino acid sequence YSLPKSEFAVPDLELP, referenced SEQ ID N 72.

 In particular, said polypeptide comprises or consists of SEQ ID N 9. This polypeptide is used to obtain a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, prognosticate, prevent or treat a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or auto disease -immune, alone or in admixture with at least one polypeptide as defined above.

 One of the subject of the invention is also a nucleotide fragment which codes for the fragment of the protein whose peptide sequence corresponds to SEQ ID N 9, said fragment of said protein having at least one mutation, in particular two mutations with respect to to the reference sequence SEQ ID N 8. Said nucleotide fragment, in particular, comprises or consists of a fragment which codes for SEQ ID N 9. This fragment is used to obtain a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended for detecting, prevent or treat a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or autoimmune disease, alone or in admixture with at least one nucleotide fragment as defined above.

 The subject of the invention is also a method for detecting at least one ligand associated with a degenerative and / or autoimmune disease, in a biological sample,

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 according to which the biological sample is brought into contact with at least the polypeptide which comprises or consists of SEQ ID N 9 or a mixture of polypeptides comprising this polypeptide and at least one polypeptide as described above, then the formation of a complex or complexes between the polypeptide (s) and the corresponding ligand (s); it being understood that by ligand is meant a molecule which meets the above conditions.

 The invention also relates to a method for detecting at least the reference polypeptide SEQ ID N 9 or a fragment of said polypeptide, this fragment comprising at least one and preferably two mutations with respect to the reference sequence SEQ ID N 8, in a sample. biological according to which the biological sample is brought into contact with at least one specific ligand of said polypeptide, then the formation of a complex is detected between said polypeptide and said ligand. The definition of ligand corresponds to that defined above. It can be inter alia a monolonal antibody, a polyclonal antibody, a substrate of enzymatic activity, or an enzyme of which said polypeptide is a cofactor, of a receptor.

 It is also possible to bring the biological sample into contact with a specific ligand of the reference polypeptide SEQ ID N 9 and at least one specific ligand of at least one other polypeptide as defined above, then the formation of complexes is detected between said polypeptides and said specific ligands of said polypeptides; it being understood that by ligand is meant a molecule which meets the conditions described above.

 Preferably, the biological sample is urine, cerebrospinal fluid or serum.

 Another subject of the invention is a nucleotide fragment coding for all or part of the polypeptide SEQ ID N 9, and its use for obtaining a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, prognosticate, prevent or treat an associated pathological condition to a degenerative and / or autoimmune disease, optionally in association with at least one nucleotide fragment as defined above, and the fragments complementary to said fragments.

 By polypeptide fragment is meant at least all or part of the peptide sequence of a protein, in particular a polypeptide fragment which comprises approximately between 5 and 15 amino acids and more precisely approximately between 5 and 10 amino acids and 6 and 15 amino acids. . And by nucleotide fragment, we mean at

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 at least all or part of a nucleotide sequence, it being understood that by nucleotide sequence, the DNA and RNA sequences are covered.

 In particular, by polypeptide or nucleotide fragment is meant either fragments associated with the same molecular unit, or fragments in a molecular complex comprising several homologous or heterologous subunits obtained in a natural or artificial manner, in particular by differential multi-splicing or by selective synthesis.

 The invention also relates to a method for detecting at least one polypeptide as defined above, according to which a sample of a biological fluid is taken from a patient presenting a pathological state associated with a degenerative and / or neurological and / or auto disease. -immune and possibly after purification of said sample of biological fluid, the mass profile obtained from the biological fluid is analyzed by mass spectrometry and a comparison is made with a reference mass profile.

 The present invention also relates to the use of at least one polypeptide of the invention for defining therapeutically effective agents, and the use of these agents to prevent and / or treat an autoimmune and / or neurological and / or degenerative, especially multiple sclerosis.

 Thus, other objects of the invention are the following: - Use of at least one polypeptide comprising at least one fragment of a protein to test the effectiveness of a therapeutic agent, said protein being chosen from proteins of which the peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 2, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 4, SEQ ID N 5, SEQ ID N 6, SEQ ID N 7, SEQ ID N 8, SEQ ID N 9, SEQ ID N 10, SEQ ID N 11, SEQ ID N 12, SEQ ID N 13, SEQ ID N 14, SEQ ID N 15, SEQ ID N 16, SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, SEQ ID N 24, SEQ ID N 25, SEQ ID N 26, SEQ ID N 27, SEQ ID N 28 and SEQ ID N 29, the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, and the sequences

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peptides or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol-binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B; - Use of at least one polypeptide comprising at least one fragment of a protein to define a biological material for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition intended for the treatment of a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 2, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 4, SEQ ID N 5, SEQ ID N 6, SEQ ID N 7, SEQ ID N 8, SEQ ID N 9, SEQ ID N 10, SEQ ID N 11, SEQ ID N 12, SEQ ID N 13, SEQ ID N 14, SEQ ID N 15, SEQ ID N 16, SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, SEQ ID N 24, SEQ ID N 25, SEQ ID N 26, SEQ ID N 27, SEQ ID N 28 and SEQ ID N 29, the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with l any of the SEQ ID peptide sequences N 1 to 29, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlacan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, of the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, of calgranulin and saposin;
According to an advantageous variant of one of the preceding uses, the polypeptide is chosen from SEQ ID N 2,4,8, 9, 17, 24; - Use of at least one nucleotide fragment, to test the effectiveness of a therapeutic agent for a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, according to which said nucleotide fragment is chosen from fragments which code for at least one fragment of a protein, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 2, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 4, SEQ ID N 5, SEQ ID N 6, SEQ ID N 7, SEQ ID N 8, SEQ IDN 9, SEQ ID N 10, SEQ ID N 11, SEQ ID N 12, SEQ ID N 13, SEQ ID N 14, SEQ ID N 15, SEQ ID N 16, SEQ

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 ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, SEQ ID N 24, SEQ ID N 25, SEQ ID N 26, SEQ ID N 27, SEQ ID N 28 and SEQ ID N 29, the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% and advantageously at least 98% identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, and the complementary fragments of said fragments and the fragments which code for the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the ganglioside GM2 activator precursor, calgranulin B and saposin B.

 - Use to test the efficacy of a therapeutic agent for a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, of recombinant proteins and / or encoded by all or part of the nucleotide fragments defined in the preceding paragraph; - Use of at least one nucleotide fragment to define a biological material for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition intended for the treatment of a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis, according to which said nucleotide fragment is chosen from fragments which code for at least one fragment of a protein, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 2, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 4, SEQ ID N 5, SEQ ID N 6, SEQ ID N 7, SEQ ID N 8, SEQ IDN 9, SEQ ID N 10, SEQ ID N 11, SEQ ID N 12, SEQ ID N 13, SEQ ID N 14, SEQ ID N 15, SEQ ID N 16, SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, SEQ ID N 24, SEQ ID N 25, SEQ ID N 26, SEQ ID N 27, SEQ ID N 28 and SEQ ID N 29, the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at at least 80% and advantageously at least 98% of identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, and the complementary fragments of said fragments and the fragments which code for the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to a same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma binding protein

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retinol, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B; - Use for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition intended for the treatment of a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis, of recombinant proteins and / or encoded by all or part of the nucleotide fragments defined in previous paragraph;
Advantageously, said nucleotide fragment used codes for said protein;
Preferably, the peptide sequence of said protein in the native state consists of a sequence chosen from any one of SEQ ID N 1 to 29, the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% of identity and advantageously at least 98 of identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma protein for retinol binding, of the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, of calgranulin B and of saposin B. The polypeptides are preferably chosen from SEQ ID N 2,4, 8, 9, 17, 24.

 - Use of at least one nucleotide fragment, to test the effectiveness of a therapeutic agent for a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease according to which said fragment is a fragment of a sequence nucleic acid chosen from any one of SEQ ID N 30, SEQ ID N 31, SEQ ID N 32, SEQ ID N 33, SEQ ID N 34, SEQ ID N 35, SEQ ID N 36, SEQ ID N 37, SEQ ID N 38, SEQ ID N 39, SEQ ID N 40, SEQ ID N 41, SEQ ID N 42, SEQ ID N 43, SEQ ID N 44, SEQ ID N 45, SEQ ID N 46 and SEQ ID N 47, SEQ ID N 48, SEQ ID N 49 and SEQ ID N 50, SEQ ID N 51, SEQ ID N 52, SEQ ID N 53, SEQ ID N 54, SEQ ID N 55, SEQ ID N 56, SEQ ID N 57, SEQ ID N 66, SEQ ID N 67, SEQ ID N 69, SEQ ID N 70, SEQ ID N 71, and their complementary sequences.

 - Use of at least one nucleotide fragment for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition intended for the treatment of a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis, according to which

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 said fragment is a fragment of a nucleic sequence chosen from any one of SEQ ID N 30, SEQ ID N 31, SEQ ID N 32, SEQ ID N 33, SEQ ID N 34, SEQ ID N 35, SEQ ID N 36, SEQ ID N 37, SEQ ID N 38, SEQ ID N 39, SEQ ID N 40, SEQ ID N 41, SEQ ID N 42, SEQ ID N 43, SEQ ID N 44, SEQ ID N 45, SEQ ID N 46 and SEQ ID N 47, SEQ ID N 48, SEQ ID N 49 and SEQ ID N 50, SEQ ID N 51, SEQ ID N 52, SEQ ID N 53, SEQ ID N 54, SEQ ID N 55, SEQ ID N 56, SEQ ID N 57, SEQ ID N 66, SEQ ID N 67, SEQ ID N 69, SEQ ID N 70, SEQ ID N 71, and their complementary sequences.

 The nucleic acid sequence is preferably chosen from SEQ ID N 30, 31, 42, 53.

 - Use of lycorine for the preparation of a composition for the prevention and / or treatment of degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease.

 Therapeutic efficacy is understood to mean the clinical and biological benefit acquired after administration of a therapeutic agent with a view to improving or even curing the disease. This benefit is reflected, among other things, by a reduction in clinical and biological signs and in the pathological effects of the disease after a clinical analysis by the doctor and / or biological analyzes, such as magnetic resonance imaging, analysis of the oligoclonal bands in the liquid. cerebrospinal, analysis of evoked potentials and the gliotoxicity detection test called bioassay, the principle of which is described in patent application WO 98/11439 previously cited. This reduction in clinical signs and pathological effects must lead to a benefit for the patient (Schwartz and Lazar, 1995, Elements of medical and biological statistics, eds Flammarion; Lazar and Schwartz, 1995, Elements of medical and biological statistics, eds Flammarion). The disease studied preferably is multiple sclerosis.

 The term composition for prophylactic and / or therapeutic use means any composition which comprises a therapeutically effective agent. These therapeutic agents are capable of (i) influencing qualitatively and / or quantitatively

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 the biological activity and / or the function of the proteins of interest identified in the present invention, preferably the gliotoxic activity and / or (ii) of modulating and / or inhibiting the expression of these proteins and / or ( iii) to decrease the concentration of these proteins in an extracellular and / or intracellular compartment, and / or to substitute a non-pathogenic form for a pathogenic form, for example mutated, of one of these proteins and / or to modulate their binding to at least one of their ligands; said ligand being a molecule which meets the criteria described above. Different therapeutic agents are produced following the conventional approaches widely described in the literature. The different groups of therapeutic agents defined from the proteins of interest identified in this present invention are described below. Their prophylactic and / or therapeutic activity or efficacy is evaluated in vitro and / or in vivo.

 Evaluation of the efficacy of a therapeutic agent in vitro: urine samples from healthy individuals and from patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, preferably in the active phase, are tested for their in vitro gliotoxic activity according to the protocol. of the bio-test described in patent application WO 98/11439, previously cited. The experiment is carried out in parallel by adding or not adding the therapeutic agent whose efficacy is to be tested to the urine samples tested. Tests are carried out at different concentrations of this agent, and after different incubation times with the sample, at a temperature of approximately 37 ° C. or at room temperature, for each concentration of agent tested, before carrying out the bio test. -trial.

The gliotoxic activity is determined for each raw or purified sample of control urine and of patient in the presence or absence of the therapeutic agent tested. A prophylactic and / or therapeutic agent for multiple sclerosis is an agent which allows a decrease or an inhibition of the gliotoxic activity in a biological fluid of the patients, in particular in the urine. This reduction or inhibition is evaluated in relation to the gliotoxic activity detected in the biological fluid of MS patients in the absence of the agent tested which fixes the upper bound and in relation to the gliotoxic activity detected in the urine of healthy individuals. which determines the lower bound (Schwartz and Lazar, 1995, Elements of medical and biological statistics, eds Flammarion; Lazar and Schwartz, 1995, Elements of medical and biological statistics,

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 eds Flammarion). The therapeutic efficacy of several agents can be evaluated in combination in the same trial.

 Evaluation of the efficacy of a therapeutic agent using an animal model: an animal is injected with purified urine fractions and / or at least one polypeptide of the invention and / or at least one protein obtained by genetic recombination which corresponds to at least one polypeptide of the invention and / or at least one synthetic polypeptide whose amino acid sequence corresponds to the sequence of at least one polypeptide of the invention. The injections are carried out, at different established concentrations, in mammalian animals, such as mice or rats, preferably a Lewis rat according to the protocol described in patent application WO97 / 33466 cited above. A series of animals are injected, intradermally, intravenously, intrathecally, intracerebrally, intramuscularly, or other, different concentrations of a fraction of crude or purified urine or at least one polypeptide and / or protein, such as defined above. A negative control is carried out in parallel. The prophylactic and / or therapeutic agent to be evaluated and then injected at different concentrations and by different routes of administration into a mammalian animal, preferably a mouse or a rat. The injections are given in a single dose or in repeated doses, with different time intervals between each administration. A few hours to a few weeks after administration, biological samples, preferably blood, serum, cerebrospinal fluid, urine are taken. These samples are made: (i) a measurement of the gliotoxic activity by the bioassay, and / or (ii) a measurement of the activity of the polypeptides and / or proteins of interest of the invention, alone or in combination combination as described at least in: Li et al., 1983, Am J Hum Genet 35: 629-634; Li et al., 1988 J Biol Chem 263: Li et al., 1981 J Biol Chem 256: 6234-6240; Li et al., 1976 J Biol Chem 251: 1159; Kase et al., 1996, FebsLetters 393: 74-76; Kishimoto et al., 1992, J Lipid Res 33: 1255-1267; O'Brien et al., 1991 Faseb J 5: 301-308; Murthy et al., 1993 J Immunol 151: Murao et al., 1990 Cell growth Differ 1: and / or (iii) an assay of the polypeptides and / or proteins of interest, alone or in combination, by ELISA (Enzyme Linked- Immunosorbent Assay) and / or Western Blot, using

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 antibodies or antibody fragments capable of binding to at least one of the polypeptides and / or proteins of the invention, or their fragment, and / or iv) an assay of antibodies specific for the polypeptides and / or proteins of interest or their fragments, alone or in combination or the assay of at least one ligand capable of binding to the polypeptides and / or proteins of interest or their fragments, and / or (v) an assay of the helper cellular immune response and / or cytotoxic induced against the polypeptides and proteins of interest or their fragments and any immunogenic peptide derived from these polypeptides, proteins and fragments, by carrying out, for example, an in vitro activation test of antigen-specific helper T lymphocyte cells administered; by quantifying the cytotoxic T lymphocytes according to the so-called ELISPOT technique described by Scheibenbogen et al., 1997 Clinical Cancer Research 3: 221-226. Such a determination is particularly advantageous when it is desired to evaluate the effectiveness of a vaccination approach for the implementation in a given patient or for diagnosing and / or predicting a potential pathological condition by seeking to demonstrate an immune response. naturally developed by the patient against the antigen, the polypeptides, the proteins of interest or the immunogenic fragments derived from these proteins.

 By 'Ligand capable of binding to a protein', is meant any molecule capable of recognizing the protein or part of the protein. This can be verified for example in vitro by Elisa and / or Western blot () tests.

 The term “polypeptides and / or proteins of interest of the invention” denotes the C-terminal fragment of perlecan (SEQ ID N 2), the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein (SEQ ID N 4), the protein GM2 activator (SEQ ID N 8), the mutated GM2 activator protein (SEQ ID N 9), calgranulin B (SEQ ID N 17), saposin B (SEQ ID N 24), proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the plasma retinol binding protein precursor (for example SEQ ID N 5 to 7), the proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the GM2 activating protein (for example SEQ ID N 10 to 16), the proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the calgranulin B protein (for example SEQ ID N 18 to 23), the proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the saposin B protein (for example SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the sequences peptides that have at least 70

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 % identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29.

 The animal is then sacrificed and histological sections of different tissues are made, preferably sections of brains. Various studies and observations are carried out to detect and / or quantify the characteristic effects of the active polypeptides and / or proteins associated with the gliotoxic fraction, ie apoptosis of the glial cells, and / or the opening of the blood-brain barrier. encephalic, and / or demyelination. The presence or expression of the identified polypeptides and / or proteins of interest is also observed and / or quantified in these tissues: (i) by standard immunohistology analyzes using ligands of the polypeptides and / or proteins of interest and / or their fragments and / or monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies or fragments of said which bind to the polypeptides and / or proteins of interest, or to their fragments, and / or (ii) by conventional in situ hybridization techniques using nucleic acid fragments or oligonucleotides defined from the polypeptide and / or protein sequences of interest; and / or (iii) by PCR and / or RT-PCR amplification techniques in situ using nucleic acid fragments or primers defined from the polyeptide and / or protein sequences of interest.

 By antibody capable of binding to a polypeptide, to a protein or to their fragments, is meant any monoclonal or polyclonal antibody and any fragment of said antibodies capable of recognizing the polypeptide, the protein or their fragments.

The capacity of the antibodies to recognize said polypeptides, proteins or their fragments is verified in vitro, for example by ELISA and / or Western Blot. An antibody capable of binding to the saposin B protein (SEQ ID N 24) or to any fragment of this protein is described by Misasi et al. 1998, J. NeuroChem. 71: and Klein et al. 1994, BBRC 200: or can be produced using conventional methods, for example those referenced above for the production of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, by immunization from the natural protein, a recombinant protein, a polypeptide of synthesis or their fragments. The

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 Immunogenic peptides for the production of monoclonal anti-saposin B antibodies are the peptides corresponding to the sequences SEQ ID N 61 and SEQ ID N 62.

 For example, an antibody capable of binding to the GM2 activating protein (SEQ ID N 8) or to any fragment of this protein is illustrated by Yuziuk et al., 1998 J Biol Chem 273: 66-72 or can be produced in using conventional methods known to those skilled in the art. This antibody can for example be produced after injection into mice or rabbits of the natural protein or any fragment, and / or of the recombinant protein or any fragment, and / or of peptides defined and synthesized from the protein sequence of the protein. . The immunogenic peptides used for the production of anti-GM2 monoclonal antibodies are the reference peptides SEQ ID N 58, SEQ ID N 59 and SEQ ID N 60. An antibody capable of binding to the protein Galgranulin B (SEQ ID N 17) or any fragment of this protein is described by Saintigny et al., 1992 J Invest Dermatol 99: 639-644 and Goebeler et al 1994 J Leukoc Biol 55: 259-261, or can be produced using conventional methods. The immunogenic peptides for the production of anti-calgranulin B monoclonal antibodies are the peptides corresponding to the sequences SEQ ID N 63, SEQ ID N 64 and SEQ ID N 65. An antibody capable of binding to the mutated GM2 activating protein (SEQ ID N 9) or any fragment of this protein can be produced using the conventional methods defined above.

 By natural protein and fragment is meant any isolated protein, totally or partially purified obtained from human or animal sample and any fragment obtained from this protein. For example, the natural protein corresponding to saposin B (SEQ ID N 24) is obtained by following the technique described by Waring et al. 1998 Mol Genet Metab 63: 14-25; the natural protein corresponding to the GM2 activating protein (SEQ ID N 8) using the technique described by DeGasperi et al., 1989 Biochem J 260: 777-783, Vogel et al., 1987 Arch Biochem Biophys 259: 627-638 , Mitsuyama, 1983 Hokkaido Igaku Zasshi 58: 502-512; Hirabayashi et al 1983 J Neurochem 40: 168-175, Conzelmann et al, 1979 Hoppe Seylers Z Physiol Chem 360: 1837-1849, Li et al., 1976 J Biol Chem 251: 1159-1163.

The natural protein corresponding to calgranulin B (SEQ ID N 17) is obtained by following the technique described by Hitomi et al. 1996 J Cell Sci 109: Van den

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 Bos et al. 1998 Protein Expr Purif 13: and Raftery et al. 1996 Biochem J 316: 285-293.

 By recombinant protein or fragment of a recombinant protein, we refer to any protein or protein fragment produced in a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell from a nucleotide sequence coding for the protein or its fragment and transfected into the cell, this protein or its fragment then being purified. In general, any cell from a prokaryotic or eukaryotic organism can be used in the context of the present invention, but cells from eukaryotic organisms are preferred. By way of example, mention may be made of CHO cells, COS cells, Semliki cells. For the purposes of the present invention, said cell can be wild or mutant. For example, the recombinant protein corresponding to saposin B (SEQ ID N 24) can be obtained by following the techniques described by Zaltash et al. 1998 Bebbs letter 423: and Qi et al. 1994 J Biol Chem 269: 16746-16753. Such a recombinant protein is at least available from Kase etg al. 1996 Febs Lett 393: 74-76. The recombinant protein corresponding to the GM2 activating protein (SEQ ID N 8) can be produced by the techniques described by Yuziuk et al. 1998 J Biol Chem 273: and Bierfreund et al., 1999 Neurochem Res 24: 295-300. The recombinant protein corresponding to calgranulin B (SEQ ID N 17) can be obtained according to the protocol of Longbottom et al. 1992 Biochim Biophys Acta 1120: 215-222, Raftery et al. 1999 Protein Expr Purif 15: 228-235. Such a recombinant protein is available at least from Klempt et al. 1997 Febs Letter 408: 81-84.

 By DNA nucleotide sequence or DNA nucleotide fragment encoding all or part of the protein saposin B (SEQ ID N 24) is meant the nucleic acid sequence SEQ ID N 53 or a fragment of this sequence. By sequence or nucleotide fragment RNA coding for all or part of the protein saposin B (SEQ ID N 24) means any sequence deduced from the DNA sequence SEQ ID N 53, taking into account the genetic code and the phenomena of splicing.

 By DNA nucleotide sequence or DNA nucleotide fragment coding for all or part of the GM2 activating protein (SEQ ID N 8) is meant the nucleic acid sequence SEQ ID N 31 or a fragment of this sequence. Through

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 nucleotide sequence or fragment of RNA coding for all or part of the GM2 activating protein (SEQ ID N 8), is meant any sequence deduced from the DNA sequence SEQ ID N 31, taking into account the genetic code and the phenomena of splicing.

 By DNA nucleotide sequence or DNA nucleotide fragment coding for all or part of the protein calgranulin B (SEQ ID N 17) is meant the nucleic acid sequence SEQ ID N 42 or a fragment of this sequence. By nucleotide sequence or fragment of RNA coding for all or part of the protein calgranulin B (SEQ ID N 17), is meant any sequence deduced from the DNA sequence SEQ ID N 42, taking into account the genetic code and phenomena of splicing.

 By nucleotide sequence or fragment coding for all or part of the mutated protein (SEQ ID N 9) is meant the nucleic acid sequence deduced from the sequence SEQ ID N 9, taking into account the genetic code. By RNA nucleotide sequence or fragment coding for all or part of this mutated protein B (SEQ ID N 9) means any sequence deduced from the DNA sequence, taking into account the genetic code and splicing phenomena.

 By protein activity is meant a characteristic biological function of the protein.

This protein activity can be demonstrated by techniques known to those skilled in the art. For example, the activity of saposin B (SEQ ID N 24) and proteins of the saposin B family (for example SEQ ID N 25 to 29), can be detected by implementing the protocols described by Li et al., 1983, Am J Hum Genet 35: 629-634 ,; Li et al., 1988 J Biol Chem 263: Li et al., 1981 J Biol Chem 256: 6234-6240 and Li et al., 1976 J Biol Chem 251: 1159. By activity of the GM2 activating protein (SEQ ID N 8) and proteins of the same family (for example SEQ ID N 10 to 16), we mean at least the activity detected by the implementation of the protocols described for example by Kase et al., 1996, Febs Letters 393: 76, Kishimoto et al., 1992, J Lipid Res 33: and O'Brien et al., 1991 Faseb J
5: 301-308. By activity of calgranulin B (SEQ ID N 17) and the proteins of the same family of calgranulin b (for example SEQ ID N 18 to 23) and all, we mean at least the activity detected by the implementation of protocols described for example by

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 Murthy et al., 1993 J Immunol 151: 6291-6301 and Murao et al., 1990 Cell growth Differ 1: 447-454.

 Obtaining a transgenic animal model, preferably murine, for a human pathology is technically feasible. Briefly, the transgenic animal is produced using the conventional techniques described and has integrated in its genome the nucleic acids coding for the proteins or their fragments.

 Evaluation of the efficacy of a therapeutic agent and ex vivo therapeutic monitoring in humans: the therapeutic agents to be tested for therapeutic activity and / or for therapeutic monitoring are administered by different routes to humans, such as intradermal, intravenous, intramuscular, intracerebral, oral, or other routes. Different doses are administered to humans. The clinical record of the patient at the time of the first administration is well known. One or more administrations can be carried out with different interval times between each administration which can range from a few days to a few years. Biological samples are taken at specified time intervals after administration of the therapeutic agent, preferably blood, serum, cerebrospinal fluid and urine. Different analyzes are carried out from these samples. Just before the first administration of the therapeutic agent, these samples and these same analyzes are also carried out. A classic clinical and biological examination (MRI, oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid, evoked potentials) is also carried out in parallel with the additional analyzes which are described below, at different times of the analysis. The analyzes carried out are: (i) a measurement of gliotoxic activity by the bioassay from samples of serum, CSF and urine, and / or (ii) a measurement of protein activity interest identified in the present invention alone or in combination as described for example by: et al., 1983, Am J Hum Genet 35: 629-634; Li et al., 1988 J Biol Chem 263: Li et al., 1981 J Biol Chem 256: 6234-6240; Li et al., 1976 J Biol Chem 251: 1159; Kase et al.,

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 1996, FebsLetters 393: 74-76; Kishimoto et al., 1992, J Lipid Res 33: 1255-1267; O'Brien et al., 1991 Faseb J 5: 301-308; Murthy et al., 1993 J Immunol 151: 6291-6301; Murao et al., 1990 Cell growth Differ 1: and / or (iii) an assay of the proteins of interest or their fragments, alone or in combination, in blood / serum, CSF, urine samples by ELISA and / or Western Blot, using antibodies or antibody fragments capable of binding to at least one of the proteins or to one of their fragments.

(iv) an assay for antibodies specific for the proteins of interest or their fragments in blood / serum, CSF, urine samples, by ELISA and / or Western Blot using a natural protein or a fragment of the natural protein and / or a recombinant protein or a fragment of this recombinant protein, alone or in combination. Likewise, an assay of ligands capable of binding to the proteins of interest identified, alone or in combination, can be carried out.

(v) an assay of the helper and / or cytotoxic cellular immune response induced against the proteins of interest and any immunogenic peptide derived from these proteins, for example by carrying out an in vitro activation test for T lymphocytes cells specific for the administered antigen (example). For example by carrying out an in vitro activation test of helper T lymphocyte cells specific for the administered antigen (example); For example by quantifying cytotoxic T lymphocytes according to the so-called ELISPOT technique described by Scheibenbogen et al., 1997 Clinicla Cancer Research 3: Such a determination is particularly advantageous when it is desired to evaluate the effectiveness of a vaccine approach implemented in a given patient or to diagnose a potential pathological condition in a patient by seeking to demonstrate an immune response naturally developed by said patient against the antigen the proteins of interest or any immunogenic fragment derived from these proteins, alone or in combination , and / or (vi) detection of DNA and / or RNA fragments coding for the proteins or a fragment of the proteins of interest by nucleotide hybridization according to techniques well known to those skilled in the art (Southern blot, Northern blot, ELOSA Enzyme-Linked

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 Oligosorbent Assay (Katz JB et al., Am. J. Vet. Res., 1993 Dec; 54 (12): 2021-6 and François Mallet et al., Journal of Clinical Microbiology, June 1993, p1444-1449)) and / or by DNA and / or RNA amplification method, for example by PCR, RT-PCR, using nucleic acid fragments coding for the sequence of proteins of interest, and / or (vii ) by biopsy of tissues, preferably of the brain, and the observation of the characteristic effects of the active proteins associated with the gliotoxic fraction, ie an apoptosis of the glial cells and / or the opening of the blood-brain barrier and / or the observation of demyelination phenomena, and / or (viii) by tissue biopsy or on circulating cells (blood, CSF), the observation of the presence of the proteins of interest and the estimation of their expression by observation immunohistological on histological sections made from tissues, using ligands and / or antibodies or their fragments capable of binding to the proteins of interest, and / or (ix) by tissue biopsy or on circulating cells (blood, CSF), observation of the expression of the proteins of interest by in situ hybridization of RNA molecules encoding the proteins of interest using nucleic acids defined from the sequences of the proteins of interest, and / or (x) by tissue biopsy or on circulating cells (blood, CSF), the determination of expression of the proteins of interest by amplification of these RNAs by standard techniques, such as for example RT-PCR, using nucleic acids defined from the sequences of the proteins of interest.

 The term “polypeptides and / or proteins of interest of the invention” denotes the C-terminal fragment of perlecan (SEQ ID N 2), the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein (SEQ ID N 4), the protein GM2 activator (SEQ ID N 8), the mutated GM2 activator protein (SEQ ID N 9), calgranulin B (SEQ ID N 17), saposin B (SEQ ID N 24), proteins or fragments belonging

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 to the family of the plasma retinol binding protein precursor (for example SEQ ID N 5 to 7), the proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the GM2 activator protein (for example SEQ ID N 10 to 16), proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the calgranulin B protein (for example SEQ ID N 18 to 23), the proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the saposin B protein (for example SEQ ID N 25 to 29), and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29.

 The term nucleic acid sequence DNA or fragments coding for the 'polypeptides and / or proteins of interest of the invention' denotes the nucleic acid sequence coding for the C-terminal fragment of perlecan (SEQ ID N 2), the nucleic acid sequence coding for the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein (SEQ ID N 4), the nucleic acid sequence (SEQ ID N 31) coding for the GM2 activator protein (SEQ ID N 8) , the nucleic acid sequence coding for the mutated GM2 activator protein (SEQ ID N 9), the nucleic acid sequence (SEQ ID N 42) coding for calgranulin B (SEQ ID N 17), the nucleic acid sequence (SEQ ID N 53) coding for saposin B (SEQ ID N 24), the DNA and / or RNA nucleic acid sequences (SEQ ID N 30 to 57) coding for the proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the plasma retinol binding protein precursor (for example SEQ ID N 5 to 7), the proteins ines or fragments belonging to the family of the GM2 activating protein (for example SEQ ID N 10 to 16), the proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the protein calgranulin B (for example SEQ ID N 18 to 23), the proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the saposin B protein (for example SEQ ID N 25 to 29).

 A protein or a variant of a protein chosen more particularly from the sequences defined in the identifiers SEQ ID N s 2,4, 8, 9, 17 and 24 or their fragments, or from the sequences corresponding to the proteins of the families of these said sequences (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 24, SEQ ID N 25 to 29), and the peptide sequences which exhibit at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the sequences

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 peptides SEQ ID N 1 to 29, independently or in combination, has a toxic effect directly or indirectly, with respect to cells, in particular with regard to glial cells, which is demonstrated by the above-mentioned bioassay. The autoantibodies produced in response to the presence of this protein or these proteins are associated with the autoimmune process. Thus, the target of the agent (s) is for example (i) the natural protein or the natural proteins or their variants with the aim of regulating their expression and / or their intracellular concentration and / or their concentration in the circulation, ( ii) an antibody specific for at least one such protein. The therapeutic agent or therapeutic agents defined eliminate the target directly, by induction of a specific immune response and / or neutralize it.

 The present invention therefore relates to a biological material for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition intended for the treatment of mammals suffering from degenerative and / or autoimmune and / or neurological pathologies, preferably multiple sclerosis, said composition comprising: (i) either at at least one natural protein and / or a recombinant protein or their fragments, the sequence of which corresponds to all or part of the sequences referenced SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17 and 24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to a same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29), and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% of pre identity reference at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N there 29, independently or in combination, (ii) either at least one specific ligand of at least one of said proteins or their fragments the sequence of which corresponds to all or part of the sequences referenced SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17 and 24, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan , the precursor of plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B

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 (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29), and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, independently or in combination, (iii) either at least one antibody polyclonal or monoclonal specific for at least one of the said proteins or their fragments, the sequence of which corresponds to all or part of the sequences referenced SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17 and 24, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of the said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29), and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, independently or in combination, (iv) either at least one nucleic acid sequence comprising at least one gene of therapeutic interest whose nucleic sequence is deduced from the DNA and RNA sequences coding for all or part of the proteins whose sequences are referenced SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17 and 24, and the DNA and / or RNA sequences (for example SEQ ID N 30 to 57) coding for all or part of the proteins belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the activator of GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B, in combination with elements ensuring the expression of said gene of therapeutic interest tick in vivo in target cells intended to be genetically modified by the nucleic sequence of the gene of therapeutic interest, (v) either at least one mammalian cell which does not naturally produce the protein of interest or the proteins of interest or any fragment of this or these protein (s) antibodies specific for at least one of said proteins or of its fragments, said mammalian cell being genetically modified in vitro by

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 at least one nucleic acid sequence or a fragment of a nucleic acid sequence or a combination of nucleic acid sequences corresponding to nucleic acid fragments originating from the same gene or from different genes, the said sequence or sequences nucleic acid being deduced (s) DNA and RNA sequences coding for the proteins referenced SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17 and 24, and the DNA and / or RNA sequences (for example SEQ ID N 30 to 57) encoding all or part of the proteins belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the activator of GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B , said gene of therapeutic interest coding for all or part of the protein of interest, of a fragment of the protein of interest or of an antibody specific for the protein of interest which will be expressed on the surface of said cell mammal (Toes et al ., 1997, PNAS 94: 14660-14665). The pharmaceutical composition may contain a therapeutic agent alone directed against a single target or agents taken in combination directed against several targets.

 The term “polypeptides and / or proteins of interest of the invention” denotes the C-terminal fragment of perlecan (SEQ ID N 2), the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein (SEQ ID N 4), the protein GM2 activator (SEQ ID N 8), the mutated GM2 activator protein (SEQ ID N 9), calgranulin B (SEQ ID N 17), saposin B (SEQ ID N 24), proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the plasma retinol binding protein precursor (for example SEQ ID N 5 to 7), the proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the GM2 activating protein (for example SEQ ID N 10 to 16), proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the protein calgranulin B (for example SEQ ID N 18 to 23), proteins or fragments belonging to the family of the protein saposine B (for example SEQ ID N 25 to 29 and the peptide sequences who have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and before tagging at least 98 of identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29.

 From the knowledge of the amino acid sequences of the proteins of interest identified in the present invention, it is within the reach of those skilled in the art to define and use the molecules described above and / or any molecule capable of attach to said molecules, and / or any molecule capable of inhibiting said molecules.

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Thus the present invention relates to the use of natural and / or recombinant proteins and / or synthetic polypeptides and their fragments, of ligand capable of binding to said proteins or to their fragment (s), for example antibodies. ; proteins inhibiting the function and / or the expression and / or the binding of said proteins Use of natural peptide protein (s) and / or recombinant protein (s) and / or synthetic polypeptide (s) corresponding to the proteins of interest identified in the present invention.

 The present invention relates to a biological material for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions intended for the treatment of mammals suffering from an autoimmune disease, preferably multiple sclerosis, comprising (i) either at least one natural protein and / or a recombinant protein and / or a synthetic polypeptide chosen from proteins whose amino acid sequences are referenced SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17 and 24, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29), and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantage ely at least 98 of identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, alone or in combination, (ii) either at least one natural and / or synthetic fragment of these proteins of interest, for example a immunogenic fragment capable of inducing an immune response against a target polypeptide, (iii) either at least one mimotope peptide defined from the reference sequences SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17 and 24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N l, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23,

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 SEQ ID N 25 to 29), and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, or a combination of mimotopes, capable of inducing an immune response against the target polypeptide, (iv) either at least any protein or peptide capable of regulating in transcription the transcription and / or translation of the proteins of interest (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17 and 24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, of the precursor of activator of ganglioside GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29. Administration of these proteins and / or peptides alone or in combination can restore the concentration a protein of interest in the body.

 The immune response directed against a specific antigen can be divided into two distinct categories, one involving antibodies (humoral type immune response), the other cytotoxic effector cells such as, for example, macrophages, cytotoxic lymphocytes ( CTL) or killer cells (NK) as well as helper T lymphocytes, in particular CD4 + T lymphocytes (cell type immune response). More particularly, the two types of response are distinguished in that the antibodies recognize the antigens in their three-dimensional form whereas the T lymphocytes, for example, recognize peptide portions of said antigens, associated with glycoproteins coded by the genes of the major complex d histocompatibility (MHC), in particular the genes of the major histocompatibility complex of type I which are expressed ubiquitously on the surface of cells or the genes of the major histocompatibility complex of type II which are expressed in specific manner on the surface cells involved in the presentation of antigens (APC). 1) According to a first aspect, the cellular type immune response

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 is characterized in that CD4 + type T cells (helper T cells), following a well-known activation phenomenon (for a review see Alberola-lia 1997, Annu Rev Immunol 15, 125-154) produce cytokines which in turn induce the proliferation of APC cells capable of producing said cytokines, the cell differentiation of B lymphocytes capable of producing antibodies specific for the antigen, and the stimulation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). 2) According to a second aspect of the cellular immune response, cytotoxic effector cells such as for example CD8 + lymphocytes (CTL) are activated a) after interaction with antigenic peptides fixed on and presented by the glycoproteins carried by ubiquitous cells and encoded by genes belonging to the CMHI system, and b) optionally by the cytokines produced by CD4 +.

 The present invention relates to the administration of a protein or a peptide derived from the proteins of interest (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17 and 24) or their fragment (s), and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, of the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, of calgranulin B and of saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29), and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, alone or in combination, for prophylaxis and / or therapy an autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis. These proteins and peptides administered are characterized in that they must have lost their toxic activity, for example their gliotoxic activity, or have lost their ability to bind to a ligand, and can significantly induce an immune response mediated by T lymphocytes or / and antibodies to this protein are used. Such proteins are said to be 'modified', however their immunogenicity is preserved. Such modified immunogenic molecules are obtained by a number of conventional treatments, for example chemical or heat denaturation, truncation or mutation with deletion, insertion or location of amino acids. An example of truncation is truncation

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 amino acids at the carboxy-terminal end up to 5-30 amino acids. The modified molecules can be obtained by synthetic or / and recombinant techniques or by chemical or physical treatments of natural molecules.

 The proteins of natural and / or recombinant interest identified in the present invention (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17 and 25), and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 at 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29), and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at at least 98 of identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, or their fragment (s), are used in prophylactic and therapeutic vaccination against autoimmune diseases, preferably MS. A vaccine comprises an effective immunogenic amount of the immunogenic protein in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and optionally an adjuvant and / or a diluent. Pharmaceutically acceptable vehicles, adjuvants and diluents are well known to those skilled in the art. By way of reference, mention may be made of Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences. The use of vaccine compositions is particularly advantageous in association with an early diagnosis of the disease. The immunogenic protein is used in the preparation of medicaments for prophylactic or therapeutic vaccination. The proteins of interest can be eliminated from the body without inducing undesirable side effects. The identification of such vaccine proteins or peptides is carried out as follows: the candidate molecules modified as described above (natural proteins, recombinants, peptides) are analyzed in a functional test to verify that they have lost their toxicity, for example their gliotoxic activity using the test called bioassay, and to verify their immunogenicity (i) by carrying out an in vitro test of proliferation of CD4 + T lymphocytes specific for the administered antigen (T cell assay) or an in vitro test of cytotoxicity of CD8 + lymphocytes specific for the antigen administered and (ii) in

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 measuring, among other things, the level of circulating antibodies directed against the natural protein.

These modified forms are used to immunize men by standard procedures with appropriate adjuvants.

 The vaccines prepared are injectable, that is to say in liquid solution or in suspension. Optionally, the preparation can also be emulsified. The antigenic molecule can be mixed with excipients which are pharmaceutically acceptable and compatible with the active ingredient. Examples of favorable excipients are water, saline, dextrose, glycerol, ethanol or the like and combinations thereof. If desired, the vaccine may contain minor amounts of auxiliary substances such as wetting or emulsifying agents, pH buffering agents or adjuvants such as aluminum hydroxide, dipeptide muramyl or their variations. In the case of peptides, their coupling to a larger molecule (KLH, tetanus toxin) sometimes increases immunogenicity.

The vaccines are administered conventionally by injection, for example subcutaneously or intramuscularly. Additional formulations favorable with other modes of administration include suppositories and sometimes oral formulations.

 In general, the concentration of the polynucleotide in the composition used for administration in vivo is from 0.1 g / ml to 20 mg / ml. The polynucleotide can be homologous or heterologous to the target cell into which it will be introduced.

 The present invention also relates to the use of vaccines including nucleic acid molecules which code for the proteins of interest or immunogenic peptides or their fragment (s), not active, corresponding to the proteins of interest (SEQ ID N 2 , 4, 8, 9, 17 and 24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, of the precursor of the activator of ganglioside GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29. The

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 Nucleic acid vaccines, in particular DNA vaccines, are generally administered in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle for intramuscular injection.

 From the amino acid sequence of the proteins of interest described (SEQ ID N 2, 4, 8, 9, 17 and 24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan , the precursor of plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7 , SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 d identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, peptides or fragments corresponding to all or part of the primary sequence of these proteins can be synthesized by conventional methods of peptide synthesis or obtained by genetic recombination.

 Recombinant proteins corresponding to the proteins of interest, produced in a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell system, are available from various teams and are described in the literature. They can also be produced by a person skilled in the art from knowledge of the sequences of the corresponding genes described in the literature and taking into account the degeneracy of the genetic code. All the protein sequences identified in the present invention are thus capable of being obtained by genetic recombination. Genes are cloned into suitable vectors. Different vectors are used to transform prokaryotic cells (eg E. coli) and eukaryotic cells (eg COS, CHO cells and Simliki cells). The recombinant proteins corresponding to the proteins of interest or to fragments of the proteins of interest can thus be produced in prokaryotic and / or encaryotic cell systems. In E. coli cells, recombinant proteins are produced with a poly-histidine tail. The insoluble protein fraction is dissolved in 8M urea. The enrichment of the product was carried out on nickel chelated resin (Qiagen). The column was washed with decreasing concentrations of urea. The elution was made with imidazole in

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 the absence of urea. The complete sequence of the proteins of interest can also be cloned into a suitable plamide and then transferred into the vaccinia virus to obtain a recombinant virus.

 Use of ligands capable of binding to the proteins of interest identified in the present invention.

 The present invention relates to a biological material for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions intended for the treatment of mammals suffering from an autoimmune disease, preferably multiple sclerosis, comprising (i) either at least one ligand capable of binding to proteins and / or fragments of the proteins chosen from the target proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 14 and 24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma protein of binding to retinol, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the sequen these peptides SEQ ID N 1 to 29, the ligand being capable or not of inhibiting protein activity, (ii) either at least one polyclonal or monoclonal antibody capable of binding to at least one protein or one of its fragments chosen from the target proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 14 and 24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29. This antibody may or may not be neutralizing, that is to say capable e or not to inhibit the activity of the protein of interest. The ligand can be chosen from any molecule or molecule fragment capable

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 to bind to target proteins, for example the receptors of this protein, the cofactors of these proteins, polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies capable of binding to proteins or any fragment of these proteins.

 These antibodies are very useful in particular for allowing the use of therapeutic compositions since they lead, for example, to immune reactions, directed specifically against immunodominant epitopes or against antigens exhibiting great variability. The patient is administered either neutralizing soluble antibodies to inhibit their function, or specific soluble antibodies to eliminate the peptide by formation of immune complexes. The invention describes the use of antibodies capable of specifically recognizing at least one protein described in the present invention for the treatment and / or for the therapeutic monitoring of degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, preferably the multiple sclerosis. These antibodies are polyclonal and preferably monoclonal. Preferably these antibodies recognize the active site of the protein and by binding, inhibits the function of the protein. The ability of the antibody to bind specifically to the protein is analyzed by conventional techniques described, such as for example by ELISA or Western Blot tests using the protein or the natural or synthetic immunogenic peptide. The titer of the antibody is determined. The ability of the antibody to neutralize the function of the protein can be analyzed by various means, for example by determining the decrease in the activity of the immunogenic protein or peptide in the presence of the antibody, preferably by determining the decrease. gliotoxic activity using the in vitro bioassay test.

 For example, monoclonal antibodies to the target protein or a portion of that protein are produced by conventional techniques used to produce antibodies against surface antigens Mice or rabbits are immunized (i) with either the natural or recombinant protein of interest, (ii) either with any immunogenic peptide of this protein of interest, (iii) or with murine cells which express the protein or peptide of interest and the CMHII molecules. The murine line Balb / c is the most frequently used. The immunogen is also a peptide chosen from among the peptides defined from the primary sequences of the proteins of interest. For example, the following immunogen was prepared: the peptides SEQ ID N s

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 58, 59, 60 from the ganglioside GM2 precursor sequence, the peptides SEQ ID N s 61.62 from the saposin B sequence and the peptides SEQ ID N s 63.64, 65 from calgranulin B have was coupled to Lymphet Keyhole hemocyanin, abbreviated peptide-KLH, as a carrier for use in immunization, or coupled to human serum albumin, abbreviated peptide-HSA. The animals were injected with peptide-KLH or peptide-HSA using complete Freund's adjuvant (IFA). The sera and hybridoma culture supernatants from animals immunized with each peptide were analyzed for the presence of anti-protein antibodies by an ELISA test using the initial proteins. The spleen cells of these mice were therefore recovered and fused with myeloma cells. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is the most frequently used melting agent. The hybridomas producing the most specific and sensitive antibodies are selected. The monoclonal antibodies can be produced in vitro by cell culture of the hybridomas produced or by recovery of murine ascites liquid after intraperitoneal injection of the hybridomas in mice. Whatever the mode of production by supernatant or ascites, it is then important to purify the monoclonal antibody. The purification methods used are essentially filtration on an ion exchange gel or by exclusion chromatography, or even immunoprecipitation. For each antibody it is necessary to choose the method which will allow obtaining the best yield. A sufficient number of anti-protein antibodies are screened in functional tests to identify the most efficient antibodies for fixing the protein of interest and / or for blocking the activity of the protein of interest. The selected monoclonal antibodies are humanized by standard CDR grafting methods (protocol carried out by many companies, in the form of a service).

These humanized antibodies can be clinically tested in the patient. The effectiveness of these antibodies can be followed by clinical parameters.

 The in vitro production of antibodies, antibody fragments or antibody derivatives, such as chimeric antibodies, produced by genetic engineering, in eukaryotic cells has been described (EP 120 694 or EP 125 023) and is also applicable to the present invention.

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 Use of molecules inhibiting the proteins of interest identified in the present invention.

 The present invention relates to a biological material for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions intended for the treatment of mammals suffering from degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, preferably multiple sclerosis, said composition comprising (i) either at least one molecule inhibiting the function of at least one protein chosen from the proteins identified in the present invention (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% ident tity and advantageously at least 98 of identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, for example inhibitor of gliotoxic activity, (ii) either at least one molecule regulating the expression of at least a protein chosen from the proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma binding protein retinol, the ganglioside activator precursor GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, for example to block transcription or translation, (iii) either at least one molecule regulating the metabolism of at least one protein chosen from the proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8, 9, 17,24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3 , SEQ ID

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 N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 of identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, (iv) either at least one molecule regulating the expression and / or the metabolism of a ligand of at least one selected protein among the proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8, 9, 17, 24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID NI 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity tity and advantageously at least 98 of identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to SEQ ID N 8 and SEQ ID N 10 to 29 and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, for example a receptor or a co-factor. It is thought that these proteins from the human body can be inhibited without side effects.

 Another important aspect of the invention relates to the identification and evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of natural and / or synthetic substances (i) capable of blocking and / or inhibiting the activity of the proteins of interest of l invention and / or their fragment: SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma protein for binding to retinol, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16 , SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any one peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29 and / or (ii) capable of inhibiting their metabolism such inhibitors of the corresponding metabolism, inhibitors of enzymes activated by co-enzymes, (iii) capable of

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 regulate the expression of the proteins of interest (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the protein plasma binding to retinol, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with one any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, (iv) capable of inhibiting the function and / or the expression of the ligands of the proteins of interest SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24 and the sequences peptides or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of plasma protein for binding to retinol, the ganglioside activator precursor GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with the any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, such as for example receptors. These substances can be used in prophylactic and therapeutic treatments of the disease. The invention also relates to methods for treating and preventing an autoimmune disease, for example MS, by administering effective amounts of these substances. The substances can be proteins, antibodies, small synthetic or natural molecules, derivatives of the proteins identified in this invention, lipids, glycolipids, etc. The small molecules can be screened and identified in large quantities using chemical combinatorial libraries. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these substances in association with acceptable physiological carriers, and methods for the preparation of medicaments for use in therapy or prevention of autoimmune diseases including MS by using these substances.

 To identify low molecular weight inhibitory molecules as candidate drugs for degenerative and / or neurological diseases

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 and / or autoimmune, such as multiple sclerosis, the tests and protocols described in the foregoing and in the patent applications incorporated by reference are used, using samples taken from the untreated or treated patient, from the animal model untreated or treated, or untreated or treated animal model tissue.

This aspect of the invention also includes a method for identifying substances capable of blocking or inhibiting the activity of the proteins of interest, comprising the introduction of these substances in an in vitro test or in an animal model in vivo.

The selected molecules are tested at different concentrations. These inhibitors are also being tested in toxicity and pharmacokinetics tests to see if they can represent valid candidate drugs. The substances tested for inhibiting or blocking protein activities or the expression of proteins, in these screening procedures can be proteins, antibodies, antibody fragments, small synthetic or natural molecules, derivatives of proteins of interest, etc ..... Small molecules can be screened and identified in large quantities using chemical combinatorial libraries.

By way of example, there may be mentioned as inhibiting substances:
The inhibitors of the proteins identified in the present invention (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17, 24), the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of plasma protein for binding to retinol, the ganglioside activator precursor GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with the any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, and the inhibitors of the fragments of said proteins. These inhibitors can be included in a prophylactic and therapeutic composition, in particular for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. For example, lycorine, an alkaloid extracted from Amaryllidaceae (ex Crinum Asiaticum) is used in vitro at a concentration between 0.1 and 0.5 g / ml and in vivo at a concentration between 0.1 and 1 mg / kg / day. For example, Rolipram (trade name) and Ibudilast (trade name), which are two molecules

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 of the same family of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors used in vitro at concentrations between 1 and 10 M / l and in vivo at concentrations between approximately 10 mg / kg / day.

# From the amino acid sequences of the proteins SEQ ID N 2, ~ 4, 8,9, 17, 24 ~ and the peptide sequences or the fragments of the said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor plasma retinol binding protein, ganglioside activator precursor GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29), it is obvious that one can deduce the DNA and RNA nucleotide sequences (SEQ ID N 30,31, 42,53) corresponding to proteins of interest and the sequences coding for the proteins of the family of these proteins of interest (for example SEQ ID N 32 to 41, SEQ ID N 43 to 52, SEQ ID N 54 to 57, SEQ ID N 66 to 67) , taking into account the genetic code and its degeneration. Thus the present invention relates to the use of these nucleotide sequences in the form - of antisense sequences - of sequences coding for a therapeutic gene - of sequences which may be contained in a vector for carrying out cellular transformation ex vitro and / or in vivo (genetical therapy)
Use of nucleic acids deduced from the amino acid sequences of the proteins of interest identified in the present invention; Antisense and / or nucleic acids encoding a therapeutic gene.

 The present invention relates to a biological material for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions intended for the treatment of mammals suffering from degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, in particular multiple sclerosis, the composition comprising (i) either at least one nucleic acid sequence capable of hybridizing to a nucleic acid sequence coding for the proteins of interest (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B

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 (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70 % identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, or their fragment (s), (ii) either at least one nucleic acid sequence comprising at least one gene of therapeutic interest coding for proteins or a protein fragment (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24), peptide sequences or fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N l , SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences s which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, and elements ensuring the expression of said gene in vivo in target cells intended to be genetically modified by said nucleic sequence.

 By nucleic acid sequence is meant a fragment of DNA and / or RNA, double strand or single strand, linear or circular, natural and isolated or synthetic, designating a precise sequence of nucleotides, modified or not, allowing defining a fragment or region of a nucleic acid selected from the group consisting of cDNA; genomic DNA; plasmid DNA; a messenger RNA. These nucleic acid sequences are deduced from the amino acid sequence of the proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17, 24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (e.g. SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, using the genetic code. Due to the degeneracy of the genetic code

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 the invention also encompasses equivalent or homologous sequences. These defined sequences allow those skilled in the art to define the appropriate nucleic acids themselves.

 Also, the present invention relates to a biological material for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions comprising at least one nucleic acid sequence capable of hybridizing to a nucleic acid sequence encoding the proteins of interest or their fragment (s) ( s) (SEQ ID N 2.4, 8.9, 17.24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the ganglioside activator precursor GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29.

 The invention consists in defining and using nucleic acid molecules complementary to the DNA and / or RNA sequences coding for the proteins of interest or their fragment (s). These fragments correspond to antisense or ribozyme molecules and can be synthesized using automatic synthesizers, such as those sold by the company Applied Biosystem. The invention describes the use of these nucleic acids capable of hybridizing under stringent conditions to DNA or / and RNA coding for the proteins of the invention or for their fragment (s).

Characteristic stringency conditions are those which correspond to a combination of the temperature and the salt concentration chosen approximately between 12 to 20 C below the Tm ('melting temperature') of the hybrid under study. Such molecules are synthesized and can be labeled using conventional labeling methods used for molecular probes, or can be used as primers in amplification reactions. The sequences which have at least 90% homology with respect to a reference sequence also form part of the invention, as do the fragments of these sequences which have at least 20 nucleotides and preferably 30 contiguous nucleotides

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 counterparts to a reference sequence. In order to reduce the proportion of natural or variant peptides, it is possible to envisage an antisense and / or ribozyme approach. Such an approach is widely described in the literature. Of course, such antisense molecules can constitute as such vectors. Vectors can also be used which include a nucleic acid sequence which codes for antisense.

 The present invention relates to a biological material for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions intended for the treatment of mammals suffering from degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis, said composition comprising at least one acid sequence nucleic acid containing at least one gene of therapeutic interest and elements ensuring the expression of said gene in vivo in target cells intended to be genetically modified by said nucleic sequence.

 These nucleic acid and / or vector sequences (antisense or coding for a protein or a fragment of a protein) make it possible to target the cells in which the peptide is expressed, such as macrophage cells: (i) either by the use of a targeting molecule introduced onto the vector, (ii) either by the use of a particular property of these cells.

 Use of vectors comprising a gene of therapeutic interest corresponding to the genes of the proteins of interest identified in the present invention.

 The present invention relates to biological material for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions intended for the prevention and treatment of degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, the composition comprising a nucleic acid sequence comprising a gene of therapeutic interest and elements of expression of said gene of interest. Genes can be unmutated or mutated. They can also consist of modified nucleic acids so that it is not possible for them to integrate into the genome of the target cell or nucleic acids stabilized using agents, such as spermine.

 Such a gene of therapeutic interest codes in particular: (i) either at least for a protein chosen from the proteins identified in the present invention (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24) and the peptide sequences

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 or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% of identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, or their fragment (s), (ii) either at least for all or part of a polyclonal or monoclonal antibody capable of binding to at least one protein or a protein fragment chosen from the proteins identified in the present invention (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17, 24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 of identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29. It may in particular be a native transmembrane antibody, or a fragment or derivative of such an antibody, provided that said antibody, antibody fragment or derivative either expressed on the surface of the target cell of the genetically modified mammal and capable of binding to a polypeptide present on the surface of a cytotoxic effector cell or of a T helper lymphocyte involved in the process of activation of such a cell, (iii) se t at least for a molecule that inhibits at least one protein or its fragments, said protein being chosen from the proteins identified (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1 , SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID

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 N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29; proteins that inhibit the function and / or metabolism and / or the binding of proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17, 24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID NI 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 of identity with any one of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, (iv) either at least for a ligand or any part of a ligand capable of binding to at least one protein or a selected protein fragment among the proteins identified (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8, 9,17, 24) and the peptide sequences es or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (by example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% d identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, and / or to inhibit its function.

 More particularly, by antibody fragment is meant the fragments F (ab) 2, Fab ', Fab, sFv (Blazar et al., 1997, Journal of Immunology 159: 5821-5833; Bird et al., 1988 Science 242 : of a native antibody and by derivative is understood, for example, a chimeric derivative of such an antibody (see for example the chimeras of antiCD3 antibodies Mouse / Man in Arakawa et al., 1996 J Biochem 120: 657-662 or immunotoxins such as sFv-toxin from Chaudary et al 1989, Nature 339: 394-397. By transmembrane antibody is meant an antibody of which at least the functional region capable of recognizing and binding to its specific antigen is

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 expressed on the surface of the target cells to allow said recognition and fixation. More particularly, the antibodies according to the present invention consist of fusion polypeptides comprising the amino acids defining said functional region and an amino acid sequence (transmembrane polypeptide) allowing anchoring within the double lipid membrane layer of the target cell. or on the external surface of this bi-layer. The nucleic acid sequences encoding many transmembrane polypeptides are described in the literature. According to an entirely advantageous case, the nucleic acid sequence coding for the heavy chain of the antibody is fused with the nucleic acid sequence coding for a said transmembrane polypeptide.

 By elements ensuring the expression of said gene in vivo we refer in particular to the elements necessary to ensure the expression of said gene after its transfer into a target cell. These include promoter sequences and / or regulatory sequences effective in said cell, and optionally the sequences required to allow expression on the surface of target cells of said polypeptide. The promoter used can be a viral, ubiquitous or tissue-specific promoter or a synthetic promoter. By way of example, mention will be made of the promoters such as the promoters of the RSV viruses (Rous Sarcoma Virus), MPSV, SV40 (Simian Virus), CMV (Cytomegalovirus) or of the vaccinia virus, the promoters of the gene coding for creatine muscle kinase, for actin. It is also possible to choose a promoter sequence specific for a given cell type, or activatable under defined conditions. The literature provides a great deal of information relating to such promoter sequences.

 Furthermore, said nucleic acid may comprise at least two sequences, identical or different, having transcriptional promoter activity and / or at least two genes, identical or different, located relative to each other in a contiguous, distant manner , in the same direction or in the opposite direction, provided that the function of transcriptional promoter or transcription of said genes is not affected.

 Likewise in this type of nucleic acid construct, it is possible to introduce neutral nucleic sequences or introns which do not harm the

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 transcription and are spliced before the translation step. Such sequences and their uses are described in the literature (reference: PCT patent application WO 94/29471).

 Said nucleic acid may also include sequences required for intracellular transport, for replication and / or for integration, for transcription and / or translation. Such sequences are well known to those skilled in the art.

 Furthermore, the nucleic acids which can be used according to the present invention can also be modified nucleic acids so that it is not possible for them to integrate into the genome of the target cell or nucleic acids stabilized using agents, such as for example spermine, which as such have no effect on the efficiency of the transfection.

 According to one embodiment of the invention, the nucleic acid sequence is a naked DNA or RNA sequence, that is to say free of any compound facilitating its introduction into cells (transfer of nucleic acid sequence) . However, according to a second embodiment of the invention, in order to promote its introduction into the target cells and in order to obtain the genetically modified cells of the invention, this nucleic acid sequence can be in the form of a vector, and more particularly in the form of a viral vector, such as for example an adenoviral, retroviral vector, a vector derived from a poxvirus, in particular derived from the vaccinia virus or the Modified Virus Ankara (MVA) or from a non-viral vector such as, for example, a vector consisting of at least one said nucleic acid sequence complexed or conjugated with at least one molecule or carrier substance selected from the group consisting of a cationic amphiphilic, in particular a cationic lipid, a cationic or neutral polymer, a practical polar compound chosen in particular from propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, glycerol, ethanol, 1methyl L-2-pyrrolidone or their d riveted, and an aprotic polar compound chosen in particular from dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), diethyl sulfoxide, di-n-propyl sulfoxide, dimethyl sulphoxide, sulpholane, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, tetramethylurea, acetonitrile or their derivatives. The literature provides a large number of examples of such viral and non-viral vectors.

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 Such vectors may further and preferably comprise targeting elements which can make it possible to direct the transfer of nucleic acid sequence to certain cell types or certain particular tissues such as cytotoxic cells and cells presenting the antigen). They can also make it possible to direct the transfer of an active substance to certain preferred intracellular compartments such as the nucleus, the mitochondria or the peroxisomes, for example. They may also be elements which facilitate penetration into the interior of the cell or the lysis of intracellular compartments. Such targeting elements are widely described in the literature. It may for example be all or part of lectins, peptides, in particular the peptide JTS-1 (see PCT patent application WO 94/40958), oligonucleotides, lipids, hormones, vitamins, d antigens, antibodies, ligands specific for membrane receptors, ligands capable of reacting with an anti-ligand, fusogenic peptides, nuclear localization peptides, or a composition of such compounds.

 Use of cells transformed in vivo after injection of vectors containing at least one gene of therapeutic interest defined from the proteins of interest identified in the present invention (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17, 24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B ( for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29.

* The present invention relates to a biological material for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions intended for the prevention and treatment of mammals suffering from degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune diseases, preferably multiple sclerosis, the composition comprising at least a vector containing a therapeutic gene as described below, capable of being introduced into a target cell in vivo and of expressing the gene of therapeutic interest in vivo.

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The advantage of this invention lies in the possibility of maintaining, over the long term, a basal level of molecules expressed in the treated patient. Vectors or nucleic acids encoding genes of therapeutic interest are injected. These vectors and nucleic acids must be transported to the target cells and transfect these cells in which they must be expressed in vivo.

The invention relates to the expression in vivo of nucleotide sequences and / or of vectors as designated in the preceding paragraph, that is to say sequences corresponding to genes of therapeutic interest coding in particular: (i) either at less for a protein chosen from the proteins identified in the present invention (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17, 24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID
N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 of identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, or their fragment (s), (i) either at least for all or part of a polyclonal or monoclonal antibody capable of bind to at least one protein chosen from the proteins identified in the present invention (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17, 24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID
N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 of identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29. It may be a native transmembrane antibody, or a fragment or derivative of such an antibody, provided that said antibody, fragment or antibody derivative is expressed on the surface of the cell

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 target of a genetically modified mammal and in that said antibody is capable of binding to a polypeptide present on the surface of a cytotoxic effector cell or of a T helper lymphocyte and involved in the process of activation of such a cell. They may be fragments of antibodies expressed by cells capable of secreting said antibodies into the bloodstream of a mammal or patient carrying cells genetically modified by the gene coding for the antibody, (ii) or at least for a molecule inhibitor of at least one protein chosen from the proteins identified (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17, 24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, precursor of plasma retinol binding protein, precursor of ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the sequences these peptides SEQ ID N 1 to 29; inhibitor of the function and / or of the metabolism and / or of the binding of the proteins SEQ ID N 2, 4, 8,9, 17,24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (e.g. SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, (iii) either at least for a ligand or any part of the ligand capable of binding to at least one protein chosen from the proteins identified (SEQ ID N 2, 4.8, 9.17, 24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (by

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example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID
N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N
1 to 29, and / or to inhibit its function.

 According to a particular embodiment, this involves using gene therapy so as to direct the immune response against the target protein, peptide or molecule of interest, that is to say against any protein chosen from the proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, of the precursor ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23 , SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, their fragment (s) and / or against any molecule which inhibits the function tion and / or expression and / or metabolism of said proteins of interest, and / or ligands of said proteins such as for example receptors. For this it is obvious that the cells to target for the transformation with a vector are cells belonging to the immune system, either cells of the lymphocyte type (CD4 / CD8), or cells presenting the antigen (dendritic cells, macrophages, ...).

 According to a particular embodiment, the cells presenting the antigen (APC) are genetically modified, in particular in vivo. CPA like macrophages, dendritic cells, microgliocytes, astrocytes play a role in the initiation of the immune response. They are the first cellular components which capture the antigen, prepare it in the cell and express transmembrane CMHI and CMHII molecules involved in the presentation of the immunogen to CD4 + and CD8 + T cells, they produce specific accessory proteins which participate on activation of T cells (Debrick et al;, 1991, J. Immunol 147: 2846; Reis et al., 1993, J Ep Med 178: 509; Kovacsovics-bankowski et al., 1993, PNAS 90:

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 4942; Kovacsovics-bankowski et al., 1995 Science 267: Svensson et al., 1997, J Immunol 158: 4229; Norbury et al;, 1997, Eur J Immunol 27: 280). For vaccination, it may be advantageous to have a gene therapy system which can target the gene transfer into such APC cells, i.e. a gene which codes for a polypeptide which can, after its production intracellular and on processing, be presented to CD8 + and / or CD4 + cells by the molecules of the CMHI and CMHII complexes respectively on the surface of these cells.

 We choose to express on the surface of the CPA cells in vivo all or part of an antibody and / or a ligand such as for example a receptor, capable of reacting with the target protein or peptide chosen from the proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8, 9, 17, 24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, of the precursor of the activator of ganglioside GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29. Such cells will then specifically phagocytose said protein or peptide, the proce sser so that fragments of this peptide are presented on the surface of the antigen presenting cells.

 The literature offers a large number of examples of genes coding for antibodies capable of reacting with polypeptides or receptors. It is within the competence of those skilled in the art to obtain the nucleic acid sequences coding for such antibodies. Let us quote for example the genes coding for the light and heavy chains of the antibody YTH 12.5 (anti-CD3) (Routledge et al. 1991, Eur J Immunol 21: 2725), of anti-CD3 according to Arakawa et al ; 1996, J. Biochem. 120: 657-662. The nucleic acid sequences of such antibodies are easily identifiable from the databases commonly used by those skilled in the art. It is also possible from hybridomas available from ATCC to clone the nucleic acid sequences coding for the heavy and / or light chains of these different

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 antibodies by amplification methods such as RT-PCR using specific oligonucleotides or techniques using cDNA libraries (Maniatis et al., 1982, Molecular cloning. A laboratory manual CSH Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York). The sequences thus cloned are then available for their cloning into vectors. According to a preferred case of the invention, the nucleic acid sequence coding for the heavy chain of the antibody is fused by homologous recombination with the nucleic acid sequence coding for a transmembrane polypeptide such as the rabies glycoprotein or the gpl60 ( Polydefkis et al., 1990J Exp Med 171: These molecular biology techniques have been perfectly described.

 We choose to express on the surface of the CPA cells in vivo immunogenic fragments corresponding to at least one protein chosen from the proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80 % identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29. For this, it is possible to choose to have the vector express either the complete polypeptide or preferably selected polypeptides to react with liga nds and / or specific receivers. The immunogenic peptide encoded by the polynucleotide introduced into the vertebrate cell in vivo can be produced and / or secreted, primed and then presented to an antigen presenting cell (APC) in the context of MHC molecules. The APCs thus transferred in vivo induce an immune response directed against the immunogen expressed in vivo. The APCs have different mechanisms for capturing antigens: (a) capture of the antigens by membrane receptors such as the immunoglobulin receptors (Fc) or for the complement available on the surface of granulocytes, monocytes or macrophages allowing efficient delivery of the antigen into the intracellular compartments after phagocytosis mediated by

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 receptors. (b) entry into APCs by pinocytosis in the fluid phase, implying different mechanisms: micropinocytosis, that is to say the capture of small vesicles (0.1 m) by wells covered with clathrin and macropinocytosis that is ie the capture of larger vesicles (with a size varying between 0.5 m and approximately 6 m) (Sallusto et al. 1995, J Exp Med 182: While micropinocytosis exists constitutively in all cells, macropinocytosis is limited to cell types, such as macrophages, dendritic cells, astrocytes, epithelial cells stimulated by growth factors (Racoosin et al., J Cell Sci 1992, 102: 867-880). cells capable of macropinocytosis are understood to mean cells which can carry out the events described above and cells which can capture macromolecules preferably between 0.5 m and approximately 6 m in the cytoplasm.

 According to a particular embodiment, the cytotoxic effector cells or the helper T lymphocytes are genetically modified in particular in vivo so that they express on their surface a polypeptide corresponding to the proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, of the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, of calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, to ligands of said proteins, naturally not expressed by these cellul es, and capable of inducing the activation process of such cells, by the introduction into these cells of nucleic acid sequences containing the gene coding for such a polypeptide.

In accordance with the present invention, it is also possible to select a nucleic acid sequence containing a gene of therapeutic interest coding for all or part of an antibody directed against a protein chosen from the proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8 , 9, 17, 24 and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor

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 plasma retinol binding protein, ganglioside activator precursor GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, capable of being expressed on the surface of the target cells of the patient to be treated, said antibody being capable of binding to a polypeptide naturally not expressed by these cytotoxic effector cells or lymphocytes T helper.

 By cytotoxic effector cells is meant the macrophages, astrocytes, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (TCL) and killer cells (NK) as well as their derivatives such as for example LAK (Versteeg 1992 Immunology today 13: 244-247; Brittende et al 1996, Cancer 77: 1226-1243). The term “helper T lymphocytes” is intended to denote in particular the CD4 cells which allow, after activation, the secretion of activation factors of the effector cells of the immune response. The polypeptides and in particular the receptors expressed on the surface of these cells and which are involved in the activation of such cells consist in particular of all or part of the TCR complex or CD3, all or part of the complexes CD8, CD4, CD28, LFA- 1, 4-1BB (Melero et al., 1998, Eur J Immunol 28: 1116-1121), CD47, CD2, CD1, CD9, CD45, CD30, CD40, all or part of the cutokine receptors (Finke et al., 1998 , Gene therapy 5: such as IL-7, IL-4, IL-2, IL-15 or GM-CSF, all or part of the NK cell receptor complex such as for example NKAR, Nkp46, ..; (Kawano and al., 1998 Immunology 95: 5690-5693; Pessino et al., 1998 J Exp Medl88: 953-960), Nkp44, all or part of the macrophage receptors such as for example the Fc receptor (Deo et al., 1997, Immunology Today 18: 127-135).

 Many tools have been developed to introduce different heterologous genes and / or vectors into cells, in particular mammalian cells. These techniques can be divided into two categories: the first category involves physical techniques such as micro-injection, electroporation or bombardment of particles. The second category is based on the use of techniques in molecular and cellular biology with which the gene is transferred

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 with a biological or synthetic vector which facilitates the introduction of the material into the cell in vivo. Today, the most effective vectors are the viral vectors, in particular the adenovirals and retrovirals. These viruses have natural properties for crossing plasma membranes, preventing the degradation of their genetic material and introducing their genome into the nucleus of the cell. These viruses have been widely studied and some are already used experimentally in human applications in vaccination, immunotherapy, or to compensate for genetic deficiencies. However, this viral approach has limitations notably due to the limited cloning capacity in these viral genomes, the risk of disseminating the viral particles produced in the organism and the environment, the risk of artefactual mutagenesis by insertion into the host cell in the retroviruses, and the possibility of inducing a strong inflammatory immune response in vivo during treatment, which limits the number of possible injections (Mc Coy et al. 11995, human Gene Therapy 6: 1553-1560; Yang et al ., 1996 Immunity 1: 433-422). Other alternative systems to these viral vectors exist. The use of non-viral methods such as co-precipitation with calcium phosphate, the use of receptors which mimic the viral systems (for a summary see Cotten and Wagner 1993, Current Opinion in Biotehcnology, 4: 705-710 ), or the use of polymers such as polyamidoamines (haensler and Szoka 1993, Bioconjugate Chem 4: 372-379). Other non-viral techniques are based on the use of liposomes, the efficacy of which for the introduction of biological macromolecules such as DNA, RNA of proteins or of active pharmaceutical ingredients has been widely described in the scientific literature. In this area, teams have proposed the use of cationic lipids with a strong affinity for cell membranes and / or nucleic acids. In fact, it has been shown that a nucleic acid molecule itself can cross the plasma membrane of certain cells in vivo (WO 90/11092), the efficiency being dependent in particular on the polyanionic nature of the nucleic acid. . As early as 1989 (Felgner et al; Nature 337: cationic lipids were proposed to facilitate the introduction of large anionic molecules, which neutralizes the negative charges of these molecules and promotes their introduction into cells. Different teams have developed such cationic lipids: DOTMA

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 (Felgner et al., 1987, PNAS 84: 7413-7417), leDOGS or TransfectamTM (Behr et al., 1989, PNAS 86: 6982-6986), DMRIE and DORIE (Felgner et al., 1993 methods 5: 67-75), DC-CHOL (Gao and Huang 1991, BBRC 179: 280-285), DOTAPTM (McLachlan et al., 1995, Gene therapy 2: 674-622) or LipofectamineTM, and the other molecules described in patents W09116024, W09514651, W09405624. Other groups have developed cationic polymers which facilitate the transfer of macromolecules, in particular anionic macromolecules, into cells. The patent WO95 / 24221 describes the use of dendritic polymers, the document WO96 / 02655 describes the use of polyethyleneimine or polypropyleneimine and the documents US-A-5595897 and FR 2719316, the use of the polylysine conjugates.

 Since it is desired to obtain a targeted transformation in vivo towards a given cell type, it is obvious that the vector used must be capable of being targeted itself as described above).

 Use of cells transformed in vitro or ex vivo with vectors containing a gene of therapeutic interest defined with respect to the proteins of interest identified in the present invention (SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,24) and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B ( SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29.

 The present invention relates to biological material for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions intended for the prevention and treatment of degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune diseases, preferably multiple sclerosis, the composition comprising at least one cell, in particular a cell which does not naturally produce antibodies, in a form allowing their administration in the organism of a mammal, human or animal, as well as possibly their prior culture, said cell being genetically modified in

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in vitro by at least one nucleic acid sequence containing at least one gene coding in vivo for (i) at least one protein chosen from the proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,
9, 17, 24, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, of the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, of the calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID
N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N
1 to 29 and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, and any fragment (ii) at least one peptide defined from the primary sequence of at least one protein chosen from proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8, 9, 17,24, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3,
SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 of identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, (iii) at least any molecule inhibiting the function and / or the fixation and / or the expression of these proteins , (iv) at least one peptide derived from the primary sequence of a protein chosen from the proteins SEQ ID N 2, 4, 8, 9, 17, 24, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family proteins selected from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and

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saposin B (for example SEQ ID N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID
N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29, and capable of binding to at least one glycoprotein of the CMHI, (v) at least any antibody and any part of antibodies capable of binding to at least one selected protein among the proteins SEQ ID N 2,4, 8,9, 17,
24, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the same family of proteins chosen from perlecan, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2, calgranulin B and saposin B (for example SEQ ID
N 1, SEQ ID N 3, SEQ ID N 5 to 7, SEQ ID N 10 to 16, SEQ ID N 18 to 23, SEQ
ID N 25 to 29) and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98 identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 1 to 29 .

 More particularly, said target cell comes either from the mammal to be treated, or from a mammal other than that to be treated. In the latter case, it should be noted that said target cell will have undergone a treatment making it compatible with the mammal to be treated. According to a preferred ace, the term “mammal” is intended to denote a human mammal. These cells are established in cell lines and are preferably CMHII + or CMHII ± inducible such as lymphocytes, monocytes, astrocytes, oligoddendrocytes.

 The invention also relates to the modified cells and a process for the preparation of a cell as described above, characterized in that one introduces into a mammalian cell which does not naturally produce antibodies, by any or appropriate means, at at least one nucleic acid sequence containing at least one gene of therapeutic interest and elements ensuring the expression of said gene in said cell, said gene of therapeutic interest containing a nucleic acid sequence coding for a molecule or a fragment of molecule in vivo, as described just above. More particularly, it relates to prokaryotic cells, cells of

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 yeast and animal cells, in particular mammalian cells transformed by at least one nucleotide sequence and / or a vector as described above.

According to a particular embodiment, the cells (dendritic cells, macrophages, astrocytes, CD4 + T lymphocytes, CD8 + T lymphocytes, etc.) of the patient or allogeneic are placed in contact with a purified preparation of the target polypeptide, this being internalized, prepared and presented on the cell surface associated with the CMHI and / or CMHII molecules and thus induce a specific immune response against the peptide. The activated cells are then administered to the patient in whom they will induce an immune response specific to the antigens (we use a natural route of the immune response, but we control what the cell presenting the antigen will present)
According to a particular embodiment, the antigen presenting cells (dendritic cell, macrophage, astrocytes, etc.) are modified in vitro to express the antigens in the transformed cell which will associate with the CMHI and / or CMHII molecules and be presented on the surface of cells to induce a perfectly targeted immune reaction in the patient to whom the modified cell is administered.

 Not all vaccine approaches are always satisfactory and lead, for example, to limited immune reactions directed only against immunodominant epitopes or against antigens with a high variability. Similarly, the incorrect presentation of antigens by the glycoproteins of the MHC system on the surface of the cells does not make it possible to develop, in the patient treated, anti-protein immunity of suitable interest. In order to overcome these problems, certain authors have proposed, within the framework of such vaccine methods, to select the minimum antigenic fragments corresponding to the portions of peptide capable of being recognized specifically by the cytotoxic T lymphocytes, to express them in the cells so that they associate with the CMHI molecules and are presented on the surface of the cells to induce in the patient treated a perfectly targeted immune reaction (Toes et al. 1997, PNAS 94: 14660-14665). More particularly, it has been shown that very small epitopes (varying from 7 to approximately 13 amino acids) which are expressed from minigens introduced into a

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 vaccinia virus, could induce cell-type immunization. It has also been shown that several minigens could be expressed jointly from the same vector (this particular construction is called 'string of beads').

Such a construction has the advantage of inducing a synergistic CTL type immune reaction (Whitton et al;, 1993 J. of Virology 67: 348-352).

Protocol for bringing the cells and the antigenic fragment into contact:
The presentation of the antigenic fragments by the CMHI molecules is based on an identified intracellular process (see Groettrup et al., 1996 Immunology Today 17: for a review) during which very short antigenic peptides (about 7-13 amino acids) are produced by degradation of a more complex polypeptide against which the final immune reaction will be directed. These short peptides are then associated with CMHI or CMHII molecules to form a protein complex which is transported to the cell surface in order to present said peptides to circulating cytotoxic T lymphocytes or circulating helper T lymphocytes, respectively. It should also be noted that the specificity of the MHC I or MHC II molecules with respect to the antigenic peptides varies as a function of the MHC I or MHC II molecules (example for the MHI: HLA-A, HLA-B, etc. .) and the allele (example for MHC I: HLA-A2, HLA-A3, HLA-A11) considered. Within the same animal species, from one individual to another, there is a great variability of the genes coding for the molecules of the MHC system (on this subject, see in particular George et al., 1995, Imunology Today 16: 209-212).

 According to a particular embodiment, the cells, such as dendritic cells, macrophages, astrocytes, CD4 + T lymphocytes, CD8 + T lymphocytes, are modified so as to express on their surface antibodies specific for the targeted peptide. The peptide is neutralized by the antibodies expressed on the surface of the cells. These cells are preferably immune, preferably from the patient, preferably cytotoxic, modified to express all or part of an antibody specific for the target polypeptide.

Isolation of mononuclear cells from peripheral blood:
In 1968, Boyum described a rapid technique which makes it possible by centrifugation of the blood on density gradient, to separate the mononuclear cells

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 (lymphocytes and monocytes) with a good yield (theoretical yield 50%, that is to say 106 cells / ml of blood). 50 ml of peripheral blood taken sterile in heparinized tubes are centrifuged for 20 minutes at 150 g at 20 C. The recovered cells are diluted in two volumes of initial peripheral blood of sterile PBS. 10 ml of this suspension are deposited on 3 ml of a ficoll-Hypaque solution (lymphocyte separation medium, Flow). After centrifugation for 20 minutes at 400g and 20 C without deceleration braking, the mononuclear cells sediment at the PBS-Ficoll interface, in a dense, opalescent layer, while almost all of the red blood cells and polymorphonuclear cells sediment at the bottom of the tube. The mononuclear cells are recovered and washed in sterile PBS.

Internalization of antigens by cells presenting the antigen:
Preliminary treatment of the antigen presenting cells: the antigen presenting cells are washed beforehand with a PBS-BSA buffer at 0.5% (w / v) then listed then they are preincubated in the presence of different reduction inhibitors three times in PBS-BSA 0.5% containing from 10 M to 10 mM final of DTNB (5,5'-dithio-bis-2-nitrobenzoic acid) or of NEM (N-ethylmaleimide). The subsequent steps of attachment of antigens to the cell surface or internalization of antigens are also carried out in the presence of the different concentrations of inhibitors.

Protocol for internalization of antigens by cells presenting the antigen:
8.106 cells are internalized in the presence of a saturated quantity of proteins radiolabelled with iodine 125 (1 g) in microwells in 70 l. After one hour of incubation at 4 ° C. with agitation, the antigens are fixed to the surface of the cells. The cell suspension is washed twice with PBS-BSA and the cell pellets are taken up in 70 l of buffer and incubated at 37 ° C. for different periods of up to 2 hours. Cells and supernatants are separated by centrifugation at 800 g for 5 minutes at 4 C. For longer incubation periods, the preliminary step of pre-fixing the antigens to the cell surface is omitted. The cells are diluted in RPMI-10% FCS medium in the presence of 20 mM Hepes, at 106 cells / ml. Cells are incubated in the presence of excess antigen for

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 different periods at 37 C (1 g of molecules /5.10 monocyte / macrophage cells or / 108 B-EBV cells).

 All the therapeutic agents defined in the context of the present invention are used to prevent and / or treat a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis, alone or in combination. They can also be used to assess their effectiveness in vitro or in vivo.

Administration to humans of the therapeutic agents designated above:
The biological material according to the invention can be administered in vivo, in particular in injectable form. One can also consider an injection by epidermal, intravenous, intra-arterial, intramuscular, intracerebral route by syringe or any other equivalent means. According to another embodiment by oral administration or any other means perfectly known to those skilled in the art and applicable to the present invention. The administration can take place in single or repeated dose, one or more times after a certain interval of interval. The most appropriate route and dosage vary according to different parameters such as, for example, the individual or the disease to be treated, the stage and / or the course of the disease, or the nucleic acid. and / or protein and / or peptide and / or molecule and / or cell to be transferred or from the target organ / tissue.

 For the implementation of the treatment of the mammal mentioned in the present invention, it is possible to have available pharmaceutical compositions comprising a biological material as described above, advantageously combined with a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle for administration to humans or to the animal. The use of such supports is described in the literature (see for example Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences 16th ed. 1980, Mack Publishing Co). This pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle is preferably isotonic, hypotonic or has low hypertonicity and has a relatively low ionic strength, such as for example a sucrose solution. Furthermore, said composition may contain solvents, aqueous or partially aqueous vehicles such as sterile water, free of pyrogenic agents and dispersion media for example. The pH of these

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 pharmaceutical compositions is suitably adjusted and buffered according to conventional techniques.

 Example 1: and urine pool.

 Urine samples of different volumes were taken from healthy individuals (negative MS) who had no prior neurological or autoimmune disease. The toxic activity of each sample with respect to murine astrocytic cells was tested in vitro using the MTT test. A total of 20 liters of urine was pooled (negative SEP pool). At the same time, urine samples of different volumes were taken from individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS positive) at different stages of the disease. The toxic activity of each sample with respect to murine astrocytic cells was tested in vitro using the MTT test. A total of 80 liters of urine was pooled (positive MS pool).

 Example 2: urinary proteins.

 The SEP positive and SEP negative urine pools, collected and tested according to Example 1, were purified to obtain a high protein concentration and to eliminate high molecular weight proteins as much as possible.

 Precipitation: precipitation with ammonium sulphate (Prolabo - ref 21 333 365) was carried out on the SEP positive and SEP negative urine pools. The percentage of 60% of saturated ammonium sulphate for 40% of urine, ie 390 grams of ammonium sulphate per liter of urine was used. Each pool is divided into 1.8 liter fractions in 2 liter flasks to improve precipitation. The precipitation was carried out for 2 x 8 hours, at ambient temperature, with gentle stirring. After centrifuging the urine pools at 3000 rpm for 10 min., At a temperature of 10 ° C., the pellet obtained is taken up in a 20 mM Tris buffer containing 1 mM CaCl 2 and 0.25 M urea. The mixture was then centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 min. The supernatant contains the concentrated proteins. It is either used immediately for the next step, or frozen if the next step cannot be performed continuously.

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 Ion exchange chromatography: the protein-containing solution was then passed over a DEAE fast Flow gel (marketed by PHARMACIA).

This step is carried out at low pressure on a PHARMACIA column filled with gel. The buffers are brought to the column by a peristaltic pump which allows a regular flow. The column equilibration buffer is the 20 mM Tris buffer, pH 7. The fraction corresponding to the precipitation supernatant and containing an excessively high amount of salts is dialyzed against this buffer before depositing on the column. Elution by a salt gradient makes it possible to recover the proteins. The elution gradient is carried out in steps of NaCl 100, 200.300, 500 mM in the equilibration buffer of the column. The elution fractions are tested by the MTT test and will only be kept the positive fractions, ie the fraction eluted at 200 Mm NaCl. These fractions can be processed immediately or stored in a freeze-dried state.

 Purification: A size exclusion chromatography based on the difference in size and shape of the proteins to be eluted was used. The fraction corresponding to the 200 mM NaCl elution is deposited on the column. During elution, proteins of low molecular mass are retained and therefore eluted later than large molecules. The purifications were carried out on HPLC with a TosoHaas TSK Prep G 3000 SW column, with a diameter of 21.5 mm and a length of 300 mm, the exclusion limit in molecular weight is 500,000 daltons. The elution buffer used contains 100 mM phosphate, 100 mM sodium sulfate, pH 6.8. The separation of the protein mixture was carried out in 60 min. Only the fraction corresponding to a mass of 15-20,000 daltons has been kept.

This fraction is dialyzed in a 20 mM Tris buffer containing 0.2 mM CaCl 2, pH 7.2, then lyophilized.

 At each step, only the fractions with significant toxic activity were selected for the next step. A check of the toxic activity of the proteins was carried out at each step, using the MTT test. Only the fractions with significant toxic activity were used for the additional purification step described in Example 3.

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 Example 3: Additional purification of urinary proteins by reverse phase chromatography.

 Urine pools from MS patients (positive MS pool) and non-MS patients (negative MS pool), obtained after purification according to Example 2, were taken up in distilled water, then diluted with solution 0 , 2% TFA / 10% acetonitrile to obtain a final concentration of approximately 130 to 140 g / ml.

 The separation by C8 reverse phase HPLC was carried out on a Brownlee Aquapore column (trade name) sold by the company Perkin Elmer (characteristics of the column: 300 angstroms / 7 m / (100 × 4.6) mm). Two separate columns were used for the positive and negative pools, respectively. The injections were carried out by multi-injections of 250 l. The proteins were eluted with a linear gradient of 5% to 15% of buffer B in 5 min., Then from 15% to 100% of buffer B in 95 min., At a flow rate of 0.5 ml / min. The separation buffers A and B used are respectively the 0.1% TFA buffer (Pierce n 28904) / MilliQ water and the 0.09% TFA / 80% acetonitrile buffer (Baker). Detection was carried out by measuring the UV absorbance at 205 and 280 nm. The fractions were collected in 1.5 ml and 0.5-1 ml fractions in the area of interest. The fractions were frozen after collection in dry ice.

 The collected fractions were then dried in speed vac and taken up in 100 l of 0.1% TFA / 30% acetonitrile. 20 l of the fractions were transferred to 500 l eppendorfs, dried and washed twice with 100 l of MilliQ water, then dried again.

 The toxic activity of the proteins contained in each fraction collected after elution was determined using the MTT test. Only fraction 21 with significant toxic activity was retained. The number of this fraction corresponds to the order of the elution according to the elution conditions set out in this example.

 Example 4: proteins obtained by separation on HPLC on SDS-TRICINE gel.

 The collection pool for fraction 21 obtained by HPLC, as described in Example 3, and originating from 20 injections of the positive SEP pool, was deposited on a

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 16% SDS-TRICINE gel, pre-molded, 10 wells and 1 mm thick (sold by the company Novex). The conditions of use of the gel correspond to those recommended by the supplier. The sample is taken up in 75 l of the 1 times concentrated sample buffer (SDS-TRICINE N LC 1676.1 ml twice concentrated + 50 l of p-mercaptoethanol (Pierce) diluted 1/2 in water) and 251 of the sample are deposited on the gel three times. The collection pool for fraction 21 from 6 injections of the negative SEP pool was deposited on the gel under the same conditions as those described for the positive SEP pool. The migration on the two gels was carried out in parallel in the same migration tank (XCELL II NOVEX (trade name)) at a constant voltage of 125 mV for 2 hours. The tank is placed in a container containing ice. The gels were stained directly after migration by zinc / imidazole staining (staining kit 161-0440 sold by the company BIORAD) to obtain a reversible negative staining. The protein bands are translucent on an opaque background.

 Example 5: with trypsin gel bands.

 All the protein bands visualized in the deposits of fraction 21 were cut and subjected to proteolysis by trypsin.

 The gel strips are cut with a scalpel into 1 mm slices and transferred into eppendorf tubes. The eppendorfs are subjected to a centrifugation peak to bring down the pieces of gel and after centrifugation 100 l of washing buffer (100 Mm NH4CO3 / 50% CH3CN) are added to the pieces of gel.

After 30 min. stirring at room temperature, the supernatant is removed in 20 l fractions and the washing step is repeated twice. The eppendorfs are dried for 5 min. in speed vac. 20 g of trypsin (Modified sequenal grade PROMEGA V5111) are taken up in 200 l of digestion buffer (5 mM TRIS, pH 8) and are dissolved for 30 min. at room temperature, with intermittent stirring and 20 to 30 µl of resuspended trypsin are added to the gel pieces. The eppendorfs are centrifuged and stored in a hot room at 28 ° C overnight. After digestion the gel strips can be used immediately for mass measurements or frozen for later use.

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 Example 6: Chemical digestion at CNBR of the gel bands.

 In the event of a protein resistant to enzymatic cleavages, in particular to the action of trypsin as described in Example 5, the bands between 16kD and 20kD were treated with CNBR. The gel strips, already used for digestion with trypsin, are dried 5 to 10 min. in speed vac.

A solution of CNBR (FLUKA) at 200 mg / ml was prepared in 70% formic acid (BAKER). 20 l of this solution were used to rehydrate the pieces of gel. The reaction was carried out for 20 h at room temperature and in the dark. The peptides are extracted 3 times 30 min with 100 l of 0.1% TFA / 60% acetonitrile. The extraction solutions are combined and concentrated to 20 l. These samples are diluted 5 times in 0.1% TFA / water. The separation conditions are those described for the peptides of digestion with trypsin.

 Example 7: Analysis by MALDI-TOF spectrometry.

 30 l of extraction buffer (2% TFA / 50% acetronitrile) are added to the samples. The eppendorfs to be analyzed are subjected to a centrifugation of 5 min., Then to a sonication of 5 min. and finally to a centrifugation of 1 min.

On a stainless steel disc, 14 deposits of 0.5 l of matrix (α-cyano-4hydroxy-trans-cinnamic acid saturated in acetone) are made. A thin uniform microcrystalline layer is obtained. 0.5 l of a 2% TFA / water solution are deposited on this sublayer on the 14 deposits, then 0.5 l of sample to be analyzed are added. In this drop thus formed, 0.5 l of a saturated solution of α-cyano-4-hydroxy-trans-cinnamic acid in 50% acetonitrile / water are added.

After drying at room temperature for 30 min., The crystalline deposits are washed with 2 l of water which are immediately removed by a breath of air. All the spectra are obtained on a BRUKER BIFLEX (trade mark) mass spectrometer equipped with a reflectron. The measurements (90 to 120 laser shots over the entire deposit) are accumulated to obtain a mass spectrum which is the most representative of all the peptides present in the matrix-sample sandwich. For each

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 deposit, a calibration with the trypsin autolysis peptides was made in order to be able to use a measurement accuracy of less than 100 ppm.

The searches in the databases were carried out in MS-FIT PROTEINPROSPECTOR (http: //prospector.ucsf.edu). The common parameters used in this research are (1) database: NCBInr, (2) a tolerance of 100-50 ppm, (3) the cysteines are not modified, (4) the methionines can be oxidized, ( 5) molecular weight range: 1000-100000 Da, (6) up to 3 cleavage sites can be ignored.

 Example 8: N-terminal sequencing of digestion peptides.

 (i) Extraction and separation by HPLC of the digestion peptides.

After the mass measurements over the entire digestion, the rest of the peptides are extracted in 3 times 30 min. in a sonication bath with 0.1% TFA / 60% acetonitrile.

The extraction solutions are combined and dried up to 20 l in speed vac. After dilution in 80 l of buffer A (0.1% TFA / water), the extractions of the gel bands, digested with trypsin, are injected on a column C18 / MZVydac / (125xl, 6) mm / 5 m. The elution of the peptides is done at a flow rate of 150 μl / min. and in a gradient ranging from 5% of buffer B (0.09% TFA / 80% acetronitrile) to 40% of buffer B in 40 min., then from 40% of buffer B to 100% of buffer B in 10 min. The detection is made by measuring the UV absorbance at 205 nm. The peaks are collected in 500 l eppendorf tubes. The fractions are stored on ice and for the 18-20 kD band of the positive SEP 21 pool analyzed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

 (ii) N-terminal sequencing.

 The fractions corresponding to only one mass peak were analyzed by Edman degradation on a sequencer (Model 477A PERKIN ELMER / Applied Biosystems). The sequencing conditions are those described by the manufacturer. A micro cartridge was used for depositing the samples and the PTH-AminoAcid are identified with an online HPLC system (Model 120A PERKIN ELMER / Applied Biosystems).

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 The fraction to be sequenced was deposited in several 15 l deposits with intermediate drying. The tube which contained the peptide is washed with 15 l of 85% formic acid (BAKER). The amino acid sequences always correspond to the masses measured. The peptides, the masses of which do not correspond to the main protein identified, have been sequenced in priority. In this way, it was possible to identify up to three proteins in a gel strip.

 Example 9: and discussion.

 After reverse HPLC of the negative SEP control pool and of the positive SEP pool, the toxic activity of each elution fraction was determined using the MTT test.

Only fraction 21 of the positive SEP pool exhibits toxic activity in vitro. Fraction 21 of the negative SEP control pool shows no toxic activity. The toxic activity of fraction 21 of the positive SEP pool was confirmed in vitro by FACS, as described in patent application WO 98/11439 on murine astrocytic cells.

 The protein content of fraction 21 of the negative SEP control pool and of the positive SEP pool was observed after separation on 16% SDS-TRICINE gel and staining of the zinc / imidazole gel. High apparent molecular weight proteins were found in both fractions. On the other hand, five different bands and of low apparent molecular weights are only visible in fraction 21 of the positive SEP pool (bands 8, 14, 18 and 20 kD). Each band corresponds to at least one protein and variants of said proteins which have an apparent molecular weight close to that of the native protein. These variant sequences have a percentage of homology or identity with the native sequences of at least 70%, preferably at least 80% and advantageously at least 98%.

 The proteins of interest of fraction 21 of the positive SEP pool were then analyzed by mass spectrometry and / or sequencing and search for homology in the databases. The results show the presence of five bands of proteins migrating between 22 and 5 kD in fraction 21 of the positive SEP pool and variants of said proteins.

 These proteins are the C-terminal fragment of Perlecan, which begins at amino acid 3464 and ends at amino acid 3707 of the protein sequence.

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 complete, identified in the sequence identifier SEQ ID N 2, the precursor of the plasma retinol binding protein whose sequence is given in SEQ ID N 4, the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2 identified in SEQ ID N 8 , calgranulin B identified in SEQ ID N 17 and saposin B represented in SEQ ID N 24. As described above, homologs or variants of said proteins have also been identified by sequencing. These homologous or variant protein sequences are the product of mutations in the genes coding for said proteins. For example, SEQ ID N 9 has 99% homology or identity with SEQ ID N 8 of the precursor of the ganglioside activator GM2 and the fragment of SEQ ID N 9 which begins with acid amino 34 and ends at amino acid 202 has 98.88% homology or identity with the corresponding fragment of the native protein identified in SEQ ID N 8.

Example 10: Demonstration of proteins in a urine sample.
Urine samples from an MS-negative individual and from an MS-positive patient were collected. These urine samples were purified according to the protocol described above. The final elution fractions 21 were analyzed separately by mass spectrometry. The mass profile of each fraction corresponding to each urine sample was compared to the mass profile obtained for the proteins identified in the previous examples. The results show that for the urine sample coming from the positive MS patient the masses correspond to the molecules (i) C-terminal fragment of Perlecan, (ii) precursor of the activator protein of ganglioside GM2, (iii) calgranulin B and ( iv) saposin B previously identified. However, none of these masses was identified in the mass profile obtained after analysis of the urine sample from the individual MS negative. The described method can be used as a diagnostic test.

 Example 11: Western Blot test.

 Western blots were carried out on different fractions of crude or purified urine as described in Example 2. Urine samples from healthy individuals and from patients suffering from multiple sclerosis are tested in parallel. The

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 samples are deposited on an electrophoresis gel to separate the different proteins according to their molecular mass under the action of an electric field. Western blots are performed after transfer of the proteins from the gel to a membrane. To reveal the transferred proteins, the membrane is saturated in saturation buffer, then incubated with an antibody directly labeled with alkaline phosphatase. The antibody used is an anti-calgranulin antibody (mouse monoclonal antibody, clone CF 145 subtype IgG 2b sold by the company Valbiotech: reference MAS 696p lot PC96G696). The substrate of the enzyme is 3,3'- (1,1'-biphenyl) 4,4'diazonium dichloride and sodium 2-naphthalenyl phosphate (sold under the name p Naphtyl acid phosphate Sigma ref N7375 and ian dianisine Tetrazotized D3502) is added for the revelation of the bands and the visualization of the proteins bound to the antibody. A molecule with an apparent molecular mass of about 14,000 is revealed in the purified urine of MS patients, with a relatively intense signal. This protein corresponds to calgranulin B (apparent molecular mass: 14 kD). However, no signal is observed from the urine of healthy individuals. This observation confirms the presence of this protein specifically in the urine of MS patients and the implementation of a detection method using an antibody recognizing the protein.

 Example 12: monoclonal antibodies.

 The production of monoclonal antibodies by ascites requires compatibility of the H-2 system between the hybridoma and the producing mouse. 20 female Balb / c mice, 6 weeks old, are injected with 0.5 ml of Pristane (2-6-10-14 tetramethylpentadecane acid) into their peritoneal cavity, for the production of ascites (Porter et al., 1972) . A week to 10 days later, 5.106 to 10.106 hybridomas diluted in 0.5 ml of sterile buffer NaCl 0.145M, Na2HP04 10 mM, KCL 2. 7 mM, KH2P04 1.5 mM at pH 7. 4. are injected intraperitoneally. Ascites appears one to two weeks later. The ascites liquids present in the peritoneal cavity are then collected with a syringe after incision of the peritoneum. The collected liquid is centrifuged at 3000g for 15 minutes at room temperature, filtered through gauze to remove the fat, then buffered by adding 1 / 20th of its volume

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 of 1M tris-HCL at pH 8. 0. This method makes it possible to obtain quantities of antibodies 10 times greater than those obtained by culture of hybridomas.

 The immunoglobulins present in the ascites fluid are released by the salts (ammonium sulfate or sodium sulfate). The ascites liquid is precipitated by 40% ammonium sulfate. After 20 minutes in the cold, the solution is centrifuged for 15 minutes 8000 g at 4 C. The precipitate is washed and resuspended cold in a solution of ammonium sulphate 40% then again centrifuged. The new precipitate enriched in IgG is redissolved in PBS buffer and dialyzed overnight against the 25 mM Tris-HCl buffer, 150 mM NaCl pH 7. 4. In parallel, an agarose-Protein A (or protein G) column ( marketed in lyophilized form, Pierce) is washed extensively with 25 mM Tris-HCl buffer, 150 mM NaCl pH7. 4. The solution enriched in IgG is deposited on the column then the column is washed. The IgGs retained by the column are eluted at acidic pH (200 mM glycine pH 2. 8). The eluted fractions are neutralized with a volume of Tris-Base 1M pH 10. 5. The immunoglobulin content of each fraction collected is quantified by reading of absorbance at 280 nm (el%, lcm = 14. 0 Prahl and Porter 1968) . The rich fractions are pooled. The degree of purification of the pooled IgGs is analyzed by acrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of SDS. The purified IgGs are dialyzed overnight against the 25 mM Tris-HCl buffer, 150 mM NaCl pH7. 4, sterile filtered, aliquoted and stored at -20 C. their final concentration is determined by reading the absorbance at 280 nm or by micro-BCA assay. The immunogenic peptides referenced SEQ ID N 58, SEQ ID N 54, SEQ ID N 55, SEQ ID N 56, SEQ ID N 57, SEQ ID N 58, SEQ ID N 59 and SEQ ID N 65 were used for the production of monoclonal antibodies, according to the protocol described above.

 However, it is within the capacity of those skilled in the art to define other protocols for the production of monoclonal antibodies, for example from the techniques described by Kohler and Milstein and by Galfre G. et al. previously cited or techniques derived from them.

 Example 13: T cell activity by proliferation of T cells (Sredni et al., 1981).

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 The T cells are washed twice in culture medium to remove any trace of IL2 present in the initial culture medium. B lymphocytes (EBVLCL) or monocytes / macrophages taken as antigen presenting cells are irradiated at 10,000 rads, washed twice with culture medium (RPMI). 2.104 T cells (2.105 cells / ml) and 2.104 autologous irradiated B cells (2.105 cells / ml) are incubated together in the presence of an increasing concentration range of the antigen at a final volume of 200 l in microwells. After 48 hours of culture at 37 ° C., 1 Ci of 3H-thymidine in 50) 11 of RPMI medium is added to each well. T cells, the only ones to divide, incorporate tritiated thymidine into DNA. After 18 hours of culture, the cells of each microwell are harvested on glass wool pellets by suction. After osmotic lysis of the cells, the radioactivity incorporated into the DNA is absorbed on the pellets (cell Harvester 530, Inotech). Each dried tablet is placed in a plastic tube which contains 2 ml of scintillant; the radioactivity b adsorbed on each of the pellets is quantified in a beta counter with liquid scientillation (LKB Rackbeta 1217). The results are expressed as an arithmetic mean of cpm / culture ('counts per minute').

 Example 14: Protocol for detecting the association between the peptides and the histocompatibility molecules (APC approach transformed with a peptide binding to MHC I).

1) Material:
The sources of histocompatibility molecules are currently of two main types: mutant cells and purified histocompatibility molecules.

 The mutant cell used is the human T2 cell which is a variant of the Tl line produced by fusion of T lymphoma CEM and B lymphoma 721. 174 (Salter and Cresswell Embo J 1986.5: 943-949). This cell which is devoid of peptide transporters contains heavy chains of class I molecules free of peptides which will be able to accept exogenous peptides.

 Class I histocompatibility molecules purified by affinity chromatography from EBV-transformed human B cell lines can also be used. In this case the endogenous peptides must be

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 eliminated by treatment with 5 M urea and 12.5 mM sodium hydroxide solution (pH 11. 7) for 1 hour at 4 ° C., followed by their elimination by a desalting column (PDLO, Pharmacia). The histocompatibility molecules are immediately returned to the presence of the peptides to be tested in a PBS buffer with 0.05% Tween 20.2 mM EDTA, 0.1% NP40 and 6mM CHAPS, in the presence of 2ug / ml B2m to facilitate reassociation ( Gnjatic et al., Eur J Immunol 1995 25: 1638-1642).

 The peptides tested generally have 8 to 10 residues, sometimes 11 or 12. They have been synthesized by Néosystems (Strasbourg), or by Chiron mimotopes (Victoria, Australia). They are used at concentrations varying from 100 M to 0.1 nM.

 2) Assembly protocol (Connan et al., Eur J Immunol 1994, 24: 777; Couillin et al. Eur J Immunol 1995, 25: 728-732).

 Aliquots of 8,105 cells in a volume of 64 l, distributed in Eppendorf microfuge tubes, are placed in the presence of a lysis buffer containing 10 mM PBS, pH 7. 5 1% NP40, protease inhibitors (1 mM PMSF, 100 M iodoacetamide, 2 g / ml aprotinin, 10 M leupeptin, 10 M pepstatin and 10 g / ml trypsin inhibitor). The lysis is carried out in the presence of the peptides to be tested for 30 minutes or 1 hour at 37 C. After removal of the non-solubilized material by centrifugation at 15,000 rpm at 4 C, the supernatant and added 140 l of PBS containing 0 05% Tween 20.3 mM sodium azide, 1 mM PMSF and 10 mg / ml bovine albumin. Each sample is incubated for 20 hours at 4 ° C. in 2 wells of a microtiter plate of the Nunc, Maxisorb type, previously coated with a monoclonal antibody (10 g / ml in PBS) which recognizes the histocompatibility molecules having a ( des) conforming conformation (s) for the presentation of peptides and similar to those present on the surface of the cells. The plate covered with antibodies is previously saturated with bovine albumin at 10 mg / ml in PBS-Tween before placing the sample. The second antibody which allows the detection of the assembly of histocompatibility molecules is directed against B2m.

It is coupled either to biotin (NHS-LC biotin, Pierce) or to alkaline phsophatase (P-552, Sigma) and is incubated at 2 g / ml for one hour at 37 C. In the case of the use of biotin, a 45 minute incubation at 20-25 C with streptavidin coupled to alkaline phosphatase (E-2636, Sigma) is carried out. Phosphatase activity

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 alkaline is measured using as substrate 4-methyl-umbelliferyl phosphate (M-8883, Sigma) at 100 M in 50 mM diethanolamine, pH 9. 5 with 1 mM MgCl2. The reading is made at 340/460 nm using a cytofluorimeter.

3) Stability of HLA / peptide complexes:
The stability of the aforementioned complexes has been studied because it conditions the proper presentation of the antigen and the induction of the T response. For this purpose, either purified HLA or the T2 cell lysate was used. With the purified HLA, the endogenous peptides were eliminated (as described in 2)) and then it was placed in the presence of the peptide to be tested in an Eppendorf tube at 37 ° C., for variable times from a few minutes to several days. The next phase of incubation on a 96-well plate (as described in 2) with the anti-HLA antibody is carried out for one hour at 37 C. The development is carried out in a conventional manner. With the T2 cell lysate, all incubations are also carried out at 37 ° C., after addition of all the protease inhibitors.

 Example 15: Immunohistology technique.

 The histological sections prepared in paraffin are dewaxed into xylene and alcohol before undergoing a pretreatment which aims to unmask the antigens; this pretreatment can correspond to (i) twice 5 minutes under microwave (750W) in the presence of a sodium citrate, citric acid buffer, (ii) an acid treatment by incubation for 15 minutes in a solution of petiodic acid 1% or by incubation for 5 minutes in a 99% formic acid solution. The endogenous peroxidases are then blocked by incubation of the slides for 30 minutes in 1% hydrogen peroxide then extensive washing with water for 15 minutes. The background noise is blocked by incubating the slides for 30 minutes in the presence of PBS Triton 0.03%, 10% Donkey serum (for polyclonal antibodies) or 10% Goat serum (for monoclonal antibodies).

Labeling with the primary antibody is carried out by applying 100 to 200 l of solution of primary antibody per slide (0.5 to 5 g / ml depending on the titer) in PBS Triton 0.03% and then incubating for 2 hours at ambient temperature. The slides are then rinsed 3 times in PBS-Triton for 10 minutes. Secondary antibody labeling is carried out using biotinylated antibodies capable of binding specifically to primary antibodies, for example anti-rabbit IgG or anti-mouse IgG diluted in PBS-

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 Triton 0.03%. the slides are washed and incubated in a solution for 2 hours (2 l streptavidin-biotin-peroxides complex, 1600 l PBS-Triton 0.03%). The slides are again washed before being revealed, protected from light in buffer A, then rinsed with water before microscopic observation. Buffer A for 5 slides: 25 ml TrisO.05M pH 7. 6, 2.5 ml Imidazole 1M, 15 ml sterile water, 2 ml DAB 5 mg / ml, 5 ml 10% ammonium nickel, 30 l H202 1%.

Claims (33)

1. Use of at least one polypeptide comprising at least one fragment of a protein for obtaining a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, prevent or treat a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or neurological disease and / or autoimmune, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22 , SEQ ID N 23, and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98% identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 17 , SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the family of calgranulin B.  2. Use according to claim 1, of at least two polypeptides in combination, said polypeptides each comprising at least one fragment of a protein, for obtaining a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, prevent or treat a condition. pathological associated with a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to a peptide sequence chosen from SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98% identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the peptide sequences or the fragments said sequences belonging to the family of calgranulin B. <Desc / Clms Page number 87>  3. Use according to claim 1, characterized in that said protein is chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 17 and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98% identity with SEQ ID N 17.  4. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the peptide sequence of said polypeptide comprises SEQ ID N 17.  5. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the peptide sequence of said polypeptide consists of SEQ ID N 17.  6. Use of at least one nucleotide fragment, to obtain a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, predict, prevent or treat a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, according to which said nucleotide fragment is chosen from fragments which code for at least one fragment of a protein, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% and advantageously at least 98 % identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, complementary fragments of said fragments and the fragme nts which code for the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the family of calgranulin B.  7. Use according to claim 6, characterized in that said nucleotide fragment codes for said protein. <Desc / Clms Page number 88>  8. Use according to claim 7, characterized in that the peptide sequence of said protein in the native state consists of a sequence chosen from any one of SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the family of calgranulin B.  9. Use according to claim 6, characterized in that said fragment is a fragment of a nucleic sequence chosen from any one of SEQ ID N 42, SEQ ID N 43, SEQ ID N 44, SEQ ID N 45, SEQ ID N 46 and SEQ ID N 47, SEQ ID N 48, SEQ ID N 49 and SEQ ID N 50, SEQ ID N 51, SEQ ID N 52, and their complementary sequences.  10. Use of a ligand specific for a polypeptide or a nucleotide fragment, said polypeptide being defined in any one of claims 1, 3 to 5 and said nucleotic fragment being defined in any one of claims 6 to 9, to obtain a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition intended to detect, predict, prevent or treat a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease.  11. Use according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the degenerative and / or autoimmune disease is multiple sclerosis.  12. Method for detecting at least one protein associated with a degenerative and / or autoimmune disease, in a biological sample, characterized in that the biological sample is brought into contact with at least one specific ligand of at least a polypeptide, said polypeptide comprising at least one fragment of a protein and said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23 and the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98% identity with l any of the sequences <Desc / Clms Page number 89>  peptides SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the family of calgranulin B, then the formation of a complex is detected between said polypeptide and said ligand.  13. The method of claim 12, characterized in that said ligand is a monoclonal antibody, a polyclonal antibody, a receptor, a substrate of enzymatic activity or an enzyme of which said polypeptide is a cofactor.  14. Method for detecting at least one ligand associated with a degenerative and / or autoimmune disease, in a biological sample, characterized in that the biological sample is brought into contact with at least one polypeptide comprising at least one fragment of a protein, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98% identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the family of calgranulin B, then detecting the formation of a complex between said polypeptide and said ligan d.  15. The method of claim 14, characterized in that the ligand is an antibody, a receptor, a substrate of enzymatic activity or an enzyme of which said polypeptide is a cofactor.  16. Method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that the sequence of said polypeptide comprises a peptide sequence chosen from any one of SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23. <Desc / Clms Page number 90>  17. Method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that the sequence of said polypeptide consists of a peptide sequence chosen from any one of SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23.  18. Method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that the biological sample is urine, cerebrospinal fluid or serum.  19. Method according to any one of claims 12 to 18, characterized in that the degenerative and / or autoimmune disease is multiple sclerosis.  20. Method for detecting at least one polypeptide as defined in any one of claims 1 to 5, according to which a sample of a biological fluid is taken from a patient presenting a pathological condition associated with a degenerative disease and / or neurological and / or autoimmune and optionally after purification of said sample of biological fluid, the mass profile obtained from the biological fluid is analyzed by mass spectrometry and compared with a reference mass profile.  21. Use of at least one polypeptide comprising at least one fragment of a protein to test the effectiveness of a therapeutic agent, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98% identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the family of calgranulin B. <Desc / Clms Page number 91>  22. Use of at least one polypeptide comprising at least one fragment of a protein for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition intended for the treatment of a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, such as sclerosis in plaques, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, the peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98% identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the family of calgranulin B.  23. Use according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that the polypeptide is SEQ ID N 17.  24. Use of at least one nucleotide fragment, to test the effectiveness of a therapeutic agent for a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, according to which said nucleotide fragment is chosen from fragments which code for at least one fragment of a protein, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20 , SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% and advantageously at least 98% identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the complementary fragments of said fragments and the fragments which code for the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences appear related to the calgranulin B family <Desc / Clms Page number 92>  25. Use for testing the efficacy of a therapeutic agent for a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, of recombinant proteins and / or encoded by all or part of the nucleotide fragments defined in claim 24 .  26. Use of at least one nucleotide fragment for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition intended for the treatment of a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis, according to which said nucleotide fragment is chosen from fragments which code for at least one fragment of a protein, said protein being chosen from proteins whose peptide sequence in the native state corresponds to SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, peptide sequences which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% and advantageously at least 98% identity with the any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the complementary fragments of said fragments and the fragments which encode peptide sequences or fragments of said sequences belonging to the family of calgranulin B.  27. Use for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition intended for the treatment of a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis, of recombinant proteins and / or encoded by all or part of the defined nucleotide fragments to claim 26.  28. Use according to claim 24 or 26, characterized in that said nucleotide fragment codes for said protein.  29. Use according to claim 28, characterized in that the peptide sequence of said protein in the native state consists of a sequence chosen from any one of SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, the peptide sequences which <Desc / Clms Page number 93>  have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity and advantageously at least 98% identity with any of the peptide sequences SEQ ID N 17, SEQ ID N 18, SEQ ID N 19, SEQ ID N 20, SEQ ID N 21, SEQ ID N 22, SEQ ID N 23, and the peptide sequences or the fragments of said sequences belonging to the family of calgranulin B.  30. Use according to claim 29, characterized in that the polypeptide is SEQ ID N 17.  31. Use of at least one nucleotide fragment, to test the efficacy of a therapeutic agent for a pathological condition associated with a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease according to which said fragment is a fragment of a nucleic sequence chosen from any one of SEQ ID N 42, SEQ ID N 43, SEQ ID N 44, SEQ ID N 45, SEQ ID N 46 and SEQ ID N 47, SEQ ID N 48, SEQ ID N 49 and SEQ ID N 50, SEQ ID N 51, SEQ ID N 52, and their complementary sequences.  32. Use of at least one nucleotide fragment for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition intended for the treatment of a degenerative and / or neurological and / or autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis according to which said fragment is a fragment of a nucleic sequence chosen from any one of SEQ ID N 42, SEQ ID N 43, SEQ ID N 44, SEQ ID N 45, SEQ ID N 46 and SEQ ID N 47, SEQ ID N 48, SEQ ID N 49 and SEQ ID N 50, SEQ ID N 51, SEQ ID N 52, and their complementary sequences.  33. Use according to claim 31 or 32, characterized in that the nucleic sequence is SEQ ID N 42.