Lazarski CA, Chaves FA, Jenks SA, Wu S, Richards KA, Weaver JM, Sant AJ. The kinetic stability of MHC class II:peptide complexes is a key parameter that dictates immunodominance.
Immunity 2005;
23:29-40. [PMID:
16039577 DOI:
10.1016/j.immuni.2005.05.009]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2004] [Revised: 04/20/2005] [Accepted: 05/11/2005] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
T cell priming to exogenous antigens reflects regulated antigen processing in dendritic cells, subsequent homing to lymph nodes, sustained interactions between T cells and antigen-bearing dendritic cells, and, ultimately, selective T cell activation and differentiation. In this study, we test the hypothesis that an intrinsic property of the class II:peptide complex is a key determinant that dictates the specificity of an emerging CD4 T cell response. We found that immunodominant peptides possess extremely long half-lives with class II molecules (t(1/2) > 150 hr), whereas cryptic peptides displayed half-lives of less than 10 hr. Furthermore, and most importantly, by using a peptide shuttle vector and four independent antigens, we demonstrate a direct, causative relationship between the half-life of peptide epitopes and their immunogenicity in vivo. Taken collectively, our results suggest the half-life of class II:peptide complexes is the primary parameter that dictates the ultimate hierarchy of the elicited T cell response.
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