Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C V Harding

Publications and source records attributed to C V Harding.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Interferon-gamma differentially regulates antigen-processing functions in distinct endocytic compartments of macrophages with constitutive expression of class II major histocompatibility complex molecules.

RAW264.7 cells were transfected to express constitutively the murine class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC-II) molecule, I-Ak. The resulting RAW.Ak cells presented HEL(46-61) peptide to 3A9 T hybridoma cells, but they were unable to process and present HEL protein in their resting state. However, IFN-gamma stimulation induced the ability of RAW.Ak to process and present HEL protein, with little effect on their ability to present HEL(46-61) peptide. Antigen catabolism showed little change with IFN-gamma stimulation, suggesting that the production of peptides was not the regulated step in the processing pathway. Furthermore, HEL(46-61) peptide delivered directly into lysosomes by acid-resistant liposomes was also presented only upon IFN-gamma stimulation, while the presentation of peptides delivered into endosomes by acid-sensitive liposomes showed a lesser dependence on IFN-gamma stimulation. Thus, IFN-gamma regulated the ability of peptides delivered into certain lysosomal compartments to meet with MHC-II molecules and form peptide-MHC complexes, or to transport subsequently to the plasma membrane. Two other antigens, ribonuclease A and haemoglobin, were processed by RAW.Ak cells without IFN-gamma stimulation, suggesting that these antigens could be processed by different mechanisms, perhaps in earlier endocytic compartments. Thus, different antigens may be processed in distinct endocytic compartments, and an IFN-gamma-regulated mechanism controls the rescue of peptides from lysosomal compartments for presentation at the plasma membrane.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Class II antigen processing: analysis of compartments and functions.

The endocytic and phagocytic pathways are composed of a series of vesicular or vacuolar organelles within the cytoplasm in which exogenous proteins or particles are processed. This processing includes catabolism of protein antigens by proteases that exist within endosomes, lysosomes, phagosomes, and phagolysosomes. Antigen processing produces peptides that bind to class II MHC (MHC-II) molecules, which also target to vesicular compartments. Multiple different vesicular compartments may contribute to antigen processing, although some compartments appear to be specialized in order to perform certain antigen processing functions. The relative levels of MHC-II molecules, processing enzymes, and other specialized molecules (e.g., HLA-DM) are among the variables that determine the relative contribution of different compartments. Recent studies have begun to identify specific compartments that mediate certain antigen processing functions, including the binding of immunogenic peptides to MHC-II molecules.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Antigen processing: approaches for dissecting subcellular mechanisms that form the basis for T-cell responses modulating allergic reactions.

Antigen processing determines the production of peptides from antigens, including allergens, and their binding to class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC-II) molecules, which stimulate T-cell responses. Our studies have addressed the cell biology and biochemistry of the MHC-II antigen processing pathway using subcellular fractionation of macrophages on Percoll density gradients, coupled with other techniques. We have isolated a high density, late endocytic antigen processing compartment, with lysosomal properties, that contains a high level of MHC-II molecules, as assessed by several techniques. Moreover, the direct formation of peptide MHC-II complexes was demonstrated within this compartment, using a T hybridoma assay for peptide MHC-II complexes present in subcellular fractions of macrophages previously exposed to the model antigen, hen's egg-white lysozyme. These observations support an important role for this compartment in the class II major histocompatibility complex antigen processing pathway.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Novel dipeptide aldehydes are proteasome inhibitors and block the MHC-I antigen-processing pathway.

Class I MHC (MHC-I) molecules present peptides derived from Ag that are processed in the cytosol. The proteasome is a multicatalytic protease complex that is present in the cytosol and has been implicated in cytosolic Ag processing. Novel dipeptide aldehydes were designed, synthesized, and demonstrated to specifically inhibit the chymotrypsin-like protease activity of isolated proteasomes, but produced relatively little inhibition of cathepsin B, a vacuolar cysteine protease. The inhibitors were membrane permeable and inhibited intracellular cleavage of a membrane-permeable fluorogenic substrate of the chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity. When a model Ag, OVA, was introduced into the cytoplasm of M12.B6 murine B cells by electroporation, the proteasome inhibitors blocked its processing for subsequent presentation by MHC-I molecules. The inhibitors had little effect on class II MHC processing of exogenous Ag. The potencies of different inhibitors for blockade of MHC-I Ag processing correlated directly with their potencies for inhibition of the chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity. In contrast, conventional inhibitors of vacuolar cysteine proteases (e.g., leupeptin and benzyloxycarbonyl-Phe-Ala-CHN2) had little effect on MHC-I processing or the chymotryspin-like activity of isolated proteasomes. These results directly demonstrate that inhibition of proteasome activity blocks MHC-I Ag processing, confirming a role for proteasomes in this pathway. Moreover, they suggest that the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome may be of major importance to the cytosolic processing of at least some Ag.

Aldehydes↗
PubMed1995

Intracellular organelles involved in antigen processing and the binding of peptides to class II MHC molecules.

Nascent class II MHC (MHC class II) molecules are transported from the ER to a specialized late endocytic antigen processing compartment, termed MIIC (MHC class II compartment). This compartment, with some variations, has been defined in multiple studies of B cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. Though this compartment shares properties with both lysosomes and late endosomes, it is a specialized compartment that differs from these other endocytic compartments in important characteristics. The MIIC contains abundant MHC class II molecules and other molecules important for antigen processing, including lysosomal enzymes and HLA-DM. Biochemical and functional immunological assays have detected not only the presence but the initial formation of peptide-MHC class II complexes in MIIC during the processing of certain model antigens. However, MHC class II molecules are also present in other endocytic compartments, albeit at lower levels, and these compartments may also perform antigen processing functions.

Antigen Presentation↗
PubMed1995

Phagocytic processing of antigens for presentation by MHC molecules.

Phagocytosis plays a major role in the defence of higher organisms against microbial infection not only by allowing ingested microbes to be destroyed by microbicidal mechanisms, but also by providing the basis for processing of their antigens to forms that generate immune responses. This article examines the role of the phagolysosome in antigen processing, and discusses the contributions of both MHC class II and MHC class I molecules to the presentation of antigens derived from phagocytosed material.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

The phoP locus influences processing and presentation of Salmonella typhimurium antigens by activated macrophages.

The destruction and processing of bacteria by activated macrophages facilitates the presentation of antigens to T cells and thereby promotes the induction of specific immunity. The PhoP-PhoQ regulatory system that controls the synthesis of many Salmonella proteins required for virulence and survival within macrophages is one mechanism that this particular intracellular pathogen has evolved to resist destruction. To address whether the phoP locus also influences antigen processing during the interaction of Salmonella typhimurium with macrophages, we tested the effect of phoP mutations on the processing and presentation of model antigens expressed by the bacteria. Activated macrophages processed phoP- bacteria with greater efficiency than wild-type bacteria, as measured by the response of antigen-specific T-hybridoma cells; Salmonella constitutively expressing PhoP were processed even less efficiently than wild-type Salmonella. After heat-inactivation, however, both wild-type and phoP- bacteria were efficiently processed. The altered processing and presentation efficiency was not due to differences in the level of antigen expressed by the bacteria or differences in the level of bacterial uptake by the macrophages. In addition, phoP-regulated gene expression was shown to influence processing of antigen phagocytosed independently of the bacteria. Thus, phoP-regulated gene products decrease the processing and presentation of S. typhimurium antigens, demonstrating a role for this virulence locus in the inhibition of the induction of specific immunity.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Processing of bacterial antigens for presentation to class I and II MHC-restricted T lymphocytes.

Phagocytosis leads to the destruction of many bacteria and the proteolytic degradation of bacterial antigens within phagolysosomes to produce immunogenic peptides that bind to Class II major histocompatibility (MHC) molecules within vacuolar compartments. On the other hand, Class I MHC molecules bind cytosol-derived peptides, including peptides from bacteria that escape the vacuolar system and penetrate into the cytosol. A recently described pathway may also allow the presentation of peptides from intravacuolar organisms by Class I MHC molecules in some cases. T cell recognition of peptide-MHC complexes then provides the primary basis for specific immunity to protein antigens of bacteria. This article will review the subcellular compartments and mechanisms involved in generating immunogenic peptides, the subcellular localization of MHC molecules that bind these peptides, and bacterial parameters that affect antigen processing.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Phagocytic processing of exogenous particulate antigens by macrophages for presentation by class I MHC molecules.

Exogenous Ags that are processed in vacuolar endocytic compartments are generally presented by class II MHC molecules and not class I MHC (MHC-I) molecules, which conventionally present cytoplasmic or endogenous Ags. Accordingly, i.v. immunization of C57BL/6 mice with soluble OVA did not elicit a CD8 T cell response. However, i.v. immunization with OVA coupled to Latex particles (Latex-OVA) elicited an OVA-specific CD8 T cell response in vivo (particles from 59 to 2000 nm diameter were effective). In vitro, Latex-OVA was processed by H-2b macrophages and presented by Kb at least 100- to 1000-fold more efficiently than was soluble OVA. Inhibition of phagocytosis by cytochalasin D blocked the processing of Latex-OVA, whereas processing was not blocked by Brefeldin A. Latex-OVA was presented directly by H-2b macrophages or after "regurgitation" of processed OVA peptide from viable MHC-disparate macrophages for binding to surface Kb molecules on fixed H-2b macrophages. Peptide regurgitation was observed during processing of both Latex-OVA and Salmonella typhimurium 14028s that express an OVA fusion protein (Crl-OVA). However, the regurgitation pathway was less efficient than direct processing by viable H-2b macrophages. Thus, macrophages express an alternate pathway that allows MHC-I presentation of vacuolar exogenous particulate Ags, including inert synthetic particles without lipid membranes and intravacuolar bacteria. Peptides from these Ags are released from intracellular compartments to bind to surface MHC-I molecules, but peptide-MHC-I complexes also may be generated within intracellular compartments.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Parameters that influence the efficiency of processing antigenic epitopes expressed in Salmonella typhimurium.

We investigated parameters that affect the efficiency with which antigenic epitopes from Salmonella typhimurium are processed for presentation to T lymphocytes. As a model system, the hen egg white lysozyme 52-61 [HEL(52-61)] epitope, which binds the murine major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) molecule I-Ak, was expressed in soluble fusion proteins in S. typhimurium. Murine peritoneal macrophages mediated phagocytic processing of viable S. typhimurium expressing fusion proteins of the HEL epitope for presentation via I-Ak regardless of the bacterial compartment in which the epitope was contained (i.e., surface exposed, facing the periplasmic space, or in the cytoplasm). Minor differences in processing efficiency observed with different epitope compartmentalizations could be overcome by altering the relative expression level, indicating that epitope abundance is an important factor for efficient processing of epitopes from S. typhimurium. This processing pathway required phagocytosis of bacteria followed by passage through an acidic compartment, suggesting a pathway involving phagolysosomal degradation of the bacteria to liberate epitopes that bind MHC-II. HEL(52-61) was processed more efficiently from heat-killed S. typhimurium than from viable bacteria, and in addition, the HEL epitope was processed more efficiently from a rough lipopolysaccharide (LPS) strain than from its isogenic smooth LPS counterpart, most likely because of enhanced phagocytosis of the rough LPS strain. These data suggest that the efficiency of epitope processing from S. typhimurium for presentation via MHC-II is affected by bacterial viability, epitope abundance, and LPS phenotype, factors which may be important to consider in development of recombinant S. typhimurium vaccine strains.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Antigen expressed by Salmonella typhimurium is processed for class I major histocompatibility complex presentation by macrophages but not infected epithelial cells.

Macrophages were shown to mediate class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC-1) presentation of a fusion protein (Crl-OVA) expressed in Salmonella typhimurium, a bacterium which fails to escape from vacuolar compartments after phagocytosis or penetration into host cells. Salmonella typhimurium also penetrates into non-phagocytic intestinal epithelial cells, a portal of entry for systemic infection. We tested the ability of infected epithelial cells to process antigen expressed by S. typhimurium for presentation by MHC-I molecules to CD8+ T cells. CMT-93 murine adenocarcinoma cells expressed Kb and effectively presented the OVA 257-264 peptide to CD8 OVA T-hybridoma cells, but infected CMT-93 cells failed to process Crl-OVA expressed in S. typhimurium. Therapeutically useful MHC-I-restricted cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses may be generated by macrophage presentation of Salmonella antigens or recombinant antigens expressed in Salmonella vaccine vectors. Our data suggest that an inability of epithelial cells to present these antigens may limit the utility of CTL in epithelial immunity in salmonellosis, but studies of additional epithelial cell systems are needed.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Immunogenic peptides bind to class II MHC molecules in an early lysosomal compartment.

Exogenous protein Ag are processed within endocytic compartments to produce peptides that bind to class II MHC (MHC-II) molecules for presentation to T cells. We have now identified a subcellular compartment in which immunogenic peptides bind to MHC-II as a subset of high density lysosomes. Immunoelectron microscopy of whole cells and dense Percoll gradient subcellular fractions showed early tubulovesicular lysosomes with high levels of MHC-II. Typical mature lysosomes contained less MHC-II. Pulse-chase biosynthetic labeling of macrophages followed by immunoprecipitation of MHC-II from dense lysosomal fractions showed that MHC-II molecules targeted efficiently to lysosomes after biosynthesis. Moreover, lysosomal MHC-II molecules were rapidly loaded with immunogenic peptide (as detected by T cells) soon after exposure of macrophages to Ag and before similar expression of peptide-MHC-II complexes on the plasma membrane; this loading was blocked at 18 degrees C. We propose that nascent MHC-II molecules target to early tubulovesicular lysosomes and bind immunogenic peptides therein; the resulting peptide-MHC-II complexes are then transported to the plasma membrane.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Glycopeptides bind MHC molecules and elicit specific T cell responses.

Carbohydrates are T cell independent antigens because they do not bind to MHC molecules. However, glycopeptides might potentially bind to MHC molecules via their peptide component for presentation to T cells. We have conjugated the disaccharide galabiose [Gal alpha (1-4)Gal beta] to the amino terminus of a T cell peptide determinant from hen egg-white lysozyme [HEL(52-61)]. The resulting glycopeptide (Gal2-52-61) and a nonglycosylated analogue containing tyrosine and glutamic acid at the amino-terminus (YE-52-61) bound equally well to purified I-Ak. T cell hybridomas were produced after immunization with Gal2-52-61. Many of the T cell hybridomas were glycopeptide-specific and responded to Gal2-52-61 but not to nonglycosylated synthetic peptides or to HEL presented by APC, indicating that the carbohydrate moiety influenced T cell recognition. Recognition was lost with the amino terminal attachment of the disaccharide to a peptide six amino acids longer at the amino terminus than HEL(52-61). Recognition also was lost with peptides containing only a single galactosyl residue or with galabiose bound to a different I-Ak binding peptide. T cells directed to Gal2-52-61 recognized glycopeptides having significant variation in the disaccharide structure, such as HEL(52-61) glycopeptides carrying lactose, cellobiose, or hepta-o-acetylated galabiose. Peptide residues were important features of the T cell epitope; Ala substitutions of two critical T cell contact residues of HEL(52-61) (Tyr53 and Leu56) abrogated T cell reactivity to the glycopeptides without affecting binding to I-Ak. In conclusion, we propose that these T cells recognize a peptide conformation specific to glycopeptide-I-Ak complexes and that this recognition does not involve specific interaction between the carbohydrate moiety and the T cell receptor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Phagocytic processing of bacterial antigens for class I MHC presentation to T cells.

Class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules present antigens that are produced within the presenting cell or penetrate from the vacuolar system into the cytosol for processing. Most studies of exogenous antigen processing have used soluble antigens, which are not efficiently presented by class I MHC molecules and do not elicit CD8 T-cell responses in vivo. But particulate antigen preparations with no known mechanism for cytosolic penetration can also elicit CD8 T-cell responses in vivo. We report here that phagocytosis of bacteria with no mechanism for cytosolic penetration also results in presentation of bacterial antigens by class I MHC molecules. Moreover, this mechanism is resistant to cycloheximide and Brefeldin A, which block the classical class I processing pathway. These results suggest a novel vacuolar class I processing pathway for exogenous phagocytic antigens.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Antigen processing and intracellular traffic of antigens and MHC molecules.

Antigen processing leads to binding of antigenic peptides to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, and these peptide-MHC complexes are recognized by T cells. The class I and class II MHC antigen processing pathways employ different mechanisms and patterns of intracellular transport that allow the two classes to bind and present peptides from different subcellular compartments, determining the source and nature of peptides to be presented.

Cytosol↗
PubMed1993

Compartmentalization of defined epitopes expressed in Escherichia coli has only a minor influence on efficiency of phagocytic processing for presentation by class I and class II major histocompatibility complex molecules to T cells.

The effect of abundance and compartmentalization of antigenic epitopes expressed in Escherichia coli on phagocytic processing was studied by expressing fusion proteins containing the epitope from positions 52 to 61 of hen egg white lysozyme [HEL(52-61)], which binds the I-Ak murine major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) molecule or the epitope from positions 257 to 264 of chicken egg ovalbumin [OVA(257-264]), which binds the Kb murine MHC-I molecule. Epitopes expressed as fusion proteins in the outer membrane protein LamB allowed exposure of the epitopes either at the bacterial surface, in the periplasmic space, or in the cytoplasm. Regardless of epitope compartmentalization within the bacterium, MHC-II-restricted or MHC-I-restricted presentation to T hybridoma cells occurred after macrophages phagocytosed bacteria producing the HEL(52-61) epitope or the OVA(257-264) epitope, respectively. Increased epitope abundance within a given microbial compartment resulted in increased processing and presentation to epitope-specific T hybridoma cells. Minor differences in the efficiency of epitope processing between the constructs was observed, and the HEL or OVA epitope exposed in the periplasmic space was processed most efficiently compared with the surface- or cytoplasm-localized epitopes. These differences could be overcome by increasing the amount of epitope per bacterium as little as two to five times. The minor differences in processing efficiency may be due to differing protein contexts of the epitope as well as differing epitope compartmentalizations within the bacteria. Thus, production of abundant epitope is the important parameter influencing processing of epitopes expressed in E. coli to induce T-cell responses rather than targeting of an epitope to a specific bacterial compartment.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Cellular and molecular aspects of antigen processing and the function of class II MHC molecules.

Antigen processing is the conversion of native antigen molecules into short peptides that can then bind to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Class II MHC (MHC-II) molecules target to endocytic compartments, where they bind peptides that are produced by internalization of extracellular antigens and subsequent antigen catabolism. The resulting peptide-MHC complexes are displayed on the surface of antigen-presenting cells for recognition by T cells. Thus, MHC-II molecules first serve as peptide receptors that rescue peptides from total lysosomal degradation and transport them to the plasma membrane; the MHC-II molecules then form a composite peptide-MHC-II determinant that is recognized by the T cell receptor. Recent work has begun to clarify the molecular events and transport mechanisms that govern antigen processing.

Animals↗