Identification of the targets of autoreactive T cells is important for understanding the pathogenesis of many autoimmune diseases. In multiple sclerosis, myelin proteins are thought to be the targets of autoreactive T-cell responses. To date only major histocompatibility complex class 11-restricted CD4+ T-cell responses to myelin proteins have been investigated. In the present study, the ability of self peptides derived from human myelin proteins to induce autoreactive CD8+ T-cell responses has been assessed. Peptide sequences from human myelin basic protein (MBP), proteolipid protein (PLP), myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein have been identified that bind to and form stable complexes with HLA-A2. MBP 110-118, PLP 80-88, MAG 287-295, MAG 509-517, and MAG 556-564 were all able to induce peptide-specific HLA-A2-restricted CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses in vitro in HLA-A2+ individuals. CTLs specific for MBP 110-118 and MAG 556-564 could recognize endogenously processed antigens presented by HLA-A2. CTL clones reactive to MBP 110-118 and MAG 556-564 produced tumor necrosis factor a and a subset ofthese clones also produced interferon y. These results demonstrate that (i) self peptides derived from human myelin proteins can induce autoreactive CD8+ CTLs and (ii) these CD8+ T cells produce cytokines thought to be important in mediating demyelinating disease. These studies provide an experimental approach for the assessment of CD8+ T-cell responses in such autoimmune diseases.sively by MHC class I molecules (17, 18), and adult oligodendrocytes constitutively express MHC class I molecules but do not express class II MHC molecules, even when stimulated by interferon y (IFN-y) (19). Thus, if adult oligodendrocytes are targets for T-cell reactivity, they will most likely be recognized by MHC class I-restricted CD8+ T cells but not by class II-restricted CD41 T cells. (iii) In an animal model of demyelinating disease, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), CD8+ T cells have been shown to have an immunoregulatory effect on the course of the disease (20, 21). Despite these implications that autoreactive CD8+ T-cell responses may play an important role in MS, a successful experimental approach to this question has not yet been reported.To investigate the possible role(s) of CD8+ T-cell responses to myelin proteins in the pathogenesis of demyelinating disorders, we have taken advantage of recent advances in the ability to predict peptide epitopes presented by the HLA class I molecule, . A computer-based algorithm has been devised that predicts the stability of HLA-A2-peptide complexes by quantitating positive and negative effects on binding by each amino acid within a nonamer peptide (22). This algorithm has been used to predict HLA-A2 binding nonamer peptides from the myelin proteins MBP, PLP, MAG, and MOG. In this report we have identified HLA-A2-restricted epitopes derived from these proteins that are capable of inducing CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL)...