Peptide constructs including a first peptide segment which includes an amino
acid sequence associated with autoimmune disease, asthma, allergy or xeno- or allograft
transplantation rejections bonded directly or via a linker or spacer to a second
peptide which binds to T cells and which will redirect the immune response from
a harmful Th1 response to a less harmful Th2 response, or which will bind to T
cells to initiate, but not complete, an immune response causing the T cells to
which the first peptide binds, to undergo anergy and apoptosis, are useful in treating
autoimmune conditions. For instance, the peptide construct NGQEEKAGVVSTGLIGGGDSAFDVLSFTAEEKAGVYK
(SEQ ID NO:14) wherein Th2 stimulating Peptide G (SEQ ID NO:15) is covalently linked,
via spacer GGG, to cardiac myosin molecule My1 (SEQ ID NO:16), can be used for
treatment or prevention of myocarditis.