Abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease and its pathogenesis is strongly associated with the expression of specific MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) molecules.It has been proposed that MHC molecule play a role in RA through presenting endogenous or exogenous peptides to T cells,and then these cells were activated,resulting in the an inflammation of synovium.Recently,immunoactive peptides are found to be a clinically effective treatment for RA,although the underlying mechanisms for this have not been fully studied.Therefore,this study obtained the information of RA immunity peptides from AntiJen and relevant database.Considering their amino acid composition,electric charges and structural properties,we further explored the relationship between RA immunity peptide and MHC molecules.

Key words: HLA-DR4, rheumatoid arthritis, structure-function relationship, immunoactive peptide