Molecular and cell-biological mechanisms of antigen cross-presentation

Immuno-potentiating pathway of HBsAg-HBIG immunogenic complex visualized

Chronic viral hepatitis B (CHB) is a major global health problem. A therapeutic vaccine for CHB comprised of yeast-derived recombinant HBsAg-anti-HBs immunogenic complexes (YIC) has been devloped by us. A series of clinical trials has shown its therapeutic efficacy in decreasing HBV viral load and converting serum HBeAg-positive to anti-HBe-positive status in a subpopulation of CHB patients. Herein, we present a study of the immuno-potentiating mechanisms of YIC revealed by live-cell imaging technology. We studied internalization and dissociation of YIC in cells in vitro, and antigen presentation and T cell stimulation in mice. We found that after YIC was internalized via the Fcγ receptors (FcγR) of antigen presenting cells, it was subsequently transferred through early and late endosomal into lysosomal compartments. The dissociation of YIC was mainly observed in the late endosome. Furthermore when YIC were injected into mice, the populations of IFN-γ- and TNF-α-producing CD8+ and CD4+ T cells were higher in the YIC group than in controls receiving antigen or antibody alone. These observations supplement the known mechanisms of YIC action as a therapeutic vaccine for CHB.

Translating DRiPs: MHC class I immunosurveillance of pathogens and tumors

MHC class I molecules display oligopeptides on the cell surface to enable T cell immunosurveillance of intracellular pathogens and tumors. Speed is of the essence in detecting viruses, which can complete a full replication cycle in just hours, whereas tumor detection is typically a finding-the-needle-in-the-haystack exercise. We review current evidence supporting a nonrandom, compartmentalized selection of peptidogenic substrates that focuses on rapidly degraded translation products as a main source of peptide precursors to optimize immunosurveillance of pathogens and tumors.