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Biomedical subjects

H M Grey

Publications and source records attributed to H M Grey.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Structural requirements and biological significance of interactions between peptides and the major histocompatibility complex.

Previous studies indicate that T cells recognize a complex between the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restriction-element and peptide-antigen fragments. Two aspects of this complex formation are considered in this paper: (1) what is the nature of the specificity of the interactions that allows a few MHC molecules to serve as restriction elements for a large universe of antigens; and (2) what is the relative contribution of determinant selection (i.e. antigen-MHC complex formation) and T-cell repertoire in determining the capacity of an individual to respond to an antigen? By analysing single amino acid substitution analogues of a peptide antigen (Ova 325-335) as well as by analysing the structural similarities between unrelated peptides capable of binding to the same MHC molecule, we have been able to document the very permissive nature of the antigen-MHC interaction. Despite this permissiveness of binding, it is possible to define certain structural features of peptides that are associated with the capacity to bind to a particular MHC specificity. With respect to the question of the relative role of 'determinant selection' and 'holes in the T-cell repertoire' in determining immune responsiveness, we present data that suggest both mechanisms operate in concert with one another. Thus only about 30% of a collection of peptides that in sum represent the sequence of a protein molecule were found to bind to Ia. Although immunogenicity was restricted to those peptides that were capable of binding to Ia (i.e. determinant selection was operative), we found that about 40% of Ia-binding peptides were not immunogenic (i.e. there were also 'holes in the T-cell repertoire').

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

The role of dendritic cells as stimulators of minor lymphocyte-stimulating locus-specific T cell responses in the mouse. I. Differential capacity of dendritic cells to stimulate minor lymphocyte-stimulating locus-reactive T cell hybridomas and the primary anti-minor lymphocyte-stimulating locus mixed lymphocyte reaction.

The response of T cells to minor lymphocyte-stimulating locus (Mls) determinants remains poorly understood with respect to the antigenic determinants responsible for T cell stimulation and the types of APC capable of stimulating the response. In this report, we demonstrate that highly purified dendritic cells (DC) as well as B cells have the capacity to stimulate Mls-specific responses. Unseparated spleen cells, purified DC, resting B cells, and activated B cells were compared for their capacity to stimulate several Mls-reactive T cell hybridomas. Whereas the entire panel of Mls-reactive T cell hybridomas was stimulated strongly by unseparated spleen cells and activated B cells, the hybridomas responded only weakly to purified DC or resting B cells. Activation of resting B cells with either B cell stimulatory factor-1 (1 day pre-treatment) or LPS/dextran (2 or 3 day pre-treatment) greatly augmented their Mls-stimulatory capacity. In contrast, the Mls-stimulatory capacity of DC was not augmented by a 1-day pre-treatment with either B cell stimulatory factor-1 or supernatant from the DC-induced primary anti-Mls-MLR. In the primary anti-Mls-MLR, both purified DC and LPS/dextran-stimulated B blasts were found to elicit vigorous T cell proliferative responses. Much weaker responses were elicited by unseparated spleen cells. The stimulation of the primary anti-Mls-MLR by purified DC was further confirmed by producing Mls-specific T cell clones which were preferentially stimulated by DC. Autologous (Mlsb) DC were found to markedly enhance the primary anti-Mls-MLR response to small numbers of Mlsa B blasts. Thus, DC possess other "accessory cell" properties that augment the primary anti-Mls-MLR despite the predicted low level of Mls determinant expression on DC based on the results obtained with Mls-reactive hybridomas. Possible accessory cell properties of DC relevant to this phenomenon are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Structural analysis of peptides capable of binding to more than one Ia antigen.

The Ia binding regions were analyzed for three unrelated peptide Ag (sperm whale myoglobin 106-118, influenza hemagglutinin 130-142, and lambda repressor protein 12-26) for which binding to more than one Ia molecule has previously been demonstrated. By determining the binding profile of three separate series of truncated synthetic peptides, it was found that in all three cases the different Ia reactivities mapped to largely overlapping regions of the peptides; although, for two of the peptides, the regions involved in binding the different Ia specificities were distinct. Moreover, subtle differences were found to dramatically influence some, but not other, Ia reactivities. Using a large panel of synthetic peptides it was found that a significant correlation exists between the capacity of peptides to interact with different alleles of the same molecule (i.e., IAd and IAk), but no correlation was found with the capacity of peptides to interact with different isotypes within the same haplotype (i.e., IAd and IEd). These data suggest that different alleles of the same MHC molecule may actually recognize closely related structures, whereas different isotypes may recognize unrelated, albeit non-mutually exclusive, structures on an Ag molecule.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Biologic significance and therapeutic implications of antigen/MHC interactions.

Synthetic analog peptides of chicken ovalbumin have been synthesized that have up to a 10-fold higher capacity to bind a particular MHC specificity (IAd) than the natural peptide. Some of these peptides were very efficient in inhibiting induction of both in vitro and in vivo immune responses. However, factors other than the ability to bind to MHC are also important in defining the capacity of a particular peptide to function in vivo. The finding that the antigen-presenting functions of MHC can be inhibited in vivo opens up the possibility of using this as a therapeutic approach to MHC-associated autoimmune diseases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Relative contribution of "determinant selection" and "holes in the T-cell repertoire" to T-cell responses.

Using BALB/c and CBA/J mice, the I-region associated (Ia) binding capacity and T-cell immunogenicity of a panel of 14 overlapping peptides that span the entire sequence of the protein staphylococcal nuclease (Nase) was examined to evaluate major histocompatibility gene complex (MHC) control of T-cell responses. Ia binding and Ia-restricted T-cell immunogenicity could be determined for a total of 54 peptide-MHC combinations. Only 30% of the 54 instances examined involved detectable Ia binding, but they represented almost all (12 of 13) of the immune responses found. However, binding to Ia was not sufficient to ensure T-cell immunogenicity, since only 70% of the binding events were productive--i.e., were associated with an immune response. Thus, Ia molecules have the expected characteristics of a highly permissive capacity for antigen interaction that allows them to function as restriction elements for a large universe of antigens. On the other hand, since the Ia molecules cannot distinguish between self and non-self, not all antigen-Ia interactions would be permitted to elicit a T-cell response. It appears that both Ia binding ("determinant selection") and T-cell repertoire act in concert to define the immune response status of an individual toward any particular T-cell epitope.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Prediction of major histocompatibility complex binding regions of protein antigens by sequence pattern analysis.

We have previously experimentally analyzed the structural requirements for interaction between peptide antigens and mouse major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules of the d haplotype. We describe here two procedures devised to predict specifically the capacity of peptide molecules to interact with these MHC class II molecules (IAd and IEd). The accuracy of these procedures has been tested on a large panel of synthetic peptides of eukaryotic, prokaryotic, and viral origin, and also on a set of overlapping peptides encompassing the entire staphylococcal nuclease molecule. For both sets of peptides, IAd and IEd binding was successfully predicted in approximately 75% of the cases. This suggests that definition of such sequence "motifs" could be of general use in predicting potentially immunogenic peptide regions within proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Autologous peptides constitutively occupy the antigen binding site on Ia.

Low molecular weight material associated with affinity-purified class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules of mouse (Ia) had the expected properties of peptides bound to the antigen binding site of Ia. Thus, the low molecular weight material derived from the I-Ad isotype was efficient in inhibiting the binding of 125I-labeled I-Ad-specific peptide to I-Ad, but did not significantly inhibit the binding of an I-Ed-specific peptide to I-Ed; the reciprocal isotype-specific inhibition was demonstrated with low molecular weight material derived from I-Ed. The inhibitory material was predominantly peptide in nature, as shown by its susceptibility to protease digestion. It was heterogeneous as measured by gel filtration (mean molecular weight approximately 3000), and when characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography, it eluted over a wide concentration of solvent. Such self peptide-MHC complexes may have broad significance in the biology of T cell responses, including generation of the T cell repertoire, the specificity of mixed lymphocyte responses, and the immune surveillance of self and nonself antigens in peripheral lymphoid tissues.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

I-Ad-binding peptides derived from unrelated protein antigens share a common structural motif.

Purified Ia molecules can specifically bind many unrelated peptide Ag, and such binding appears to be a necessary, albeit not sufficient, prerequisite for the immunogenicity of the proteins from which such peptides are derived. We have recently analyzed the affect of single amino acid substitutions on the I-Ad binding of the immunogenic peptide OVA 323-339. The results obtained demonstrated the very permissive nature of Ag-Ia interaction. We also showed that unrelated peptides that are good I-Ad binders share a common structural motif and speculated that recognition of such motifs could represent a mechanism to achieve a very permissive type of interaction that yet retained some degree of specificity. In the present set of experiments we analyzed the I-Ad binding pattern of a series of overlapping peptides derived from sperm whale myoglobin (residues 102-125) and influenza hemagglutinin (residues 121-146) to determine whether the peptide regions predicted on the basis of structural similarity to be involved in I-Ad binding were in fact involved. In both cases, the I-Ad-interacting determinants were found to contain the sequence motif postulated to be important for I-Ad binding. These data support the hypothesis that I-Ad molecules recognize a large library of Ag by virtue of common structural motifs present in peptides derived from phylogenetically unrelated proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Studies on the capacity of intact cells and purified Ia from different B cell sources to function in antigen presentation to T cells.

In this study we have evaluated some of the potential mechanisms that may be responsible for the inefficiency with which resting B cells function as antigen-presenting cells (APC) and the mechanism by which that function is enhanced following treatment of B cells with neuraminidase. One mechanism that has been previously suggested is that glycosylation differences in Ia associated with different APC accounts for the different functional capacities of resting and activated B cells. It has been postulated that removal of sialic acid from resting B cell Ia results in a correction of its antigen-presenting defect. To study this possibility, we have used purified I-Ad from different B cell sources in a planar membrane system to present an immunogenic peptide of chicken ovalbumin (Ova) to an I-Ad-restricted Ova-specific T cell hybridoma. It was found that I-Ad isolated from resting B cells, B cell stimulatory factor 1 (BSF-1) or lipopolysaccharide and dextran sulfate-stimulated B cells, or A20 B lymphoma cells were all equivalent in their antigen-presenting capacity. Furthermore, removal of sialic acid from Ia did not enhance its capacity to serve as a restriction element. The mechanism by which neuraminidase treatment enhances B cell APC function was further investigated by studying the effect of sialic acid removal on a primary mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR). When allogeneic fixed B cells were used as stimulator cells it was found that neither resting nor BSF-1-stimulated B cells could induce a MLR. Following neuraminidase treatment, BSF-1-treated B cells, but not resting B cells, were capable of stimulating a MLR. However, a MLR was also stimulated by allogeneic BSF-1-treated B cells when the responder T cells, rather than the stimulator cells, were treated with neuraminidase. An enhancing effect similar to that obtained by neuraminidase treatment could be obtained by the addition of 2% polyethylene glycol to the MLR culture. These data suggest that the inability of BSF-1-stimulated cells to function efficiently as accessory cells in stimulating a primary MLR is due to their relative inability to interact physically with T cells, a deficiency that is overcome by neuraminidase treatment of either T or B cell populations or by the addition of polyethylene glycol to the culture. Although the reason for the failure of these same treatments to restore the accessory cell function of resting B cells is not known, some possible mechanisms are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Interaction of an immunodominant epitope with Ia molecules in T-cell activation.

The amino acid sequence corresponding to residues 107-116 of hen egg-white lysozyme (HEL) has been identified as containing an immunodominant T-cell epitope recognized in association with the I-Ed molecule. The immunodominance of this epitope in HEL-primed H-2d mice was demonstrated by analysis of the T-cell proliferative response induced by synthetic peptides covering almost the entire HEL sequence. All the T-cell hybridomas from H-2d mice analyzed recognize the HEL sequence 107-116 in association with the I-Ed molecule. Correlating with the restriction of T-cell recognition, HEL-(105-120)-peptide binds to I-Ed but not to I-Ad molecules. Conservative or semiconservative substitutions at positions 113 (Asn----Lys), 114 (Arg----His), or 115 (Cys----Ala) abrogate the ability of HEL-(105-120) to activate T cells. Substitutions at residues 113 and 115 affect T-cell recognition but not the binding to I-Ed molecules, whereas, as shown by binding data and competition experiments, an Arg----His substitution at position 114 profoundly impairs the capacity of the peptide to interact with I-Ed molecules. In agreement with these results, [Lys113]HEL-(105-120)-peptide but not [His114]HEL-(105-120)-peptide was found to be immunogenic in H-2d mice. Thus, a single semiconservative substitution drastically reduces binding capacity and abolishes immunogenicity, suggesting that a strict correlation exists between binding of a peptide to Ia molecules and its immunogenicity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1987

Studies on the mechanism of stimulation of T cells by the Mycoplasma arthritidis-derived mitogen. Role of class II IE molecules.

A mitogen derived from the supernatant of broth cultures of Mycoplasma arthritidis (MAS-P) stimulates a proliferative response by normal, unprimed T cells and interleukin 2 production by some, but not all, T cell hybridomas. The response requires an IE-positive accessory cell (AC). The direct participation of IE, and not IA, in this system was confirmed by two sets of experiments. First, L cells transfected with IE, but not IA, provided effective AC function for both normal T cells and the T cell hybridoma DO-11.10. Second, we have taken a more direct approach by showing that purified IE incorporated in liposomes and used to coat glass beads can support the MAS-P response of the DO-11.10 T cell hybridoma in the absence of intact AC or other AC molecules. Although the receptor for IE-MAS-P has not been identified, we have eliminated from consideration two potential T cell recognition structures. Monoclonal antibody to the antigen-major histocompatibility complex specific receptor failed to inhibit the MAS-P response of DO-11.10 or the T cell line LBRM-33. Furthermore, the L3T4 molecule did not appear to be involved since an L3T4-negative variant of DO-11.10 responded well to the mitogen. In addition, we show that both Lyt-2-positive and L3T4-positive T cells respond to this class II-restricted stimulus. Thus, we postulate the existence of a non-T cell receptor, non-L3T4 receptor that recognizes MAS-P in association with a presumed nonpolymorphic region of IE.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

The relation between major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restriction and the capacity of Ia to bind immunogenic peptides.

The capacity of purified I-Ad, I-Ed, I-Ak, and I-Ek to bind to protein derived peptides that have been previously reported to be T cell immunogens has been examined. For each of the 12 peptides studied strong binding to the relevant Ia restriction element was observed. All the peptides bound more than one Ia molecule; however, for 11 of 12 peptides, the dominant binding was to the restriction element, whereas in one instance the dominant binding was to a nonrestriction element. When the peptides were used to inhibit the presentation of antigen by prefixed accessory cells to T cells, an excellent correlation was found between the capacity of a peptide to inhibit the binding of an antigen to purified Ia and the capacity of the peptide to inhibit accessory cell presentation of the antigen. Thus, the binding of peptide to purified Ia is immunologically relevant, and Ia seems to be the only saturable molecule on the surface of the accessory cell involved in antigen presentation. Inhibition analysis also indicated that all peptides restricted to a particular Ia molecule competitively inhibited one another, suggesting that each Ia restriction element has a single binding site for antigen. Cross-linking of labeled peptides to Ia followed by electrophoretic analysis and autoradiography suggested that this single binding site is made up of portions of both alpha and beta chains of Ia.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Immunological self, nonself discrimination.

The ability of immunodominant peptides derived from several antigen systems to compete with each other for T cell activation was studied. Only peptides restricted by a given transplantation antigen are mutually competitive. There is a correlation between haplotype restriction, ability to bind to the appropriate transplantation antigen, and ability to inhibit activation of other T cells restricted by the same transplantation antigen. An exception was noted in that a peptide derived from an antigen, bacteriophage lambda cI repressor, binds to the I-Ed molecule in a specific way, yet is not I-Ed-restricted. Comparison of the sequence of the repressor peptide with that of other peptides able to bind to (and be restricted by) I-Ed and a polymorphic region of the I-Ed molecule itself revealed a significant degree of homology. Thus, peptides restricted by a given class II molecule appear to be homologous to a portion of the class II molecule itself. The repressor-derived peptide is identical at several polymorphic residues at this site, and this may account for the failure of I-Ed to act as a restriction element. Comparison of antigenic peptide sequences with transplantation antigen sequences suggests a model that provides a basis for explaining self, nonself discrimination as well as alloreactivity.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Isolation and characterization of antigen-Ia complexes involved in T cell recognition.

Using equilibrium dialysis, it has been previously demonstrated that immunogenic peptides bind specifically to the Ia molecules serving as restriction elements in the immune response to these antigens. Using gel filtration to study the formation of ovalbumin (OVA) peptide-I-Ad complexes, it is herein demonstrated that the complexes, once formed, are very stable (kd approximately equal to 3 X 10(-6) s-1), but the rate of complex formation is very slow (ka approximately 1 M-1 s-1 explaining the overall low equilibrium constant of approximately 2 X 10(-6) M. Treating the complexes with glutaraldehyde revealed that the ovalbumin peptide was cross-linked solely to the alpha chain of I-Ad. Planar membranes containing I-Ad-OVA complexes stimulated a T cell response with 2 X 10(4) less antigen than required when uncomplexed antigen was used, thus demonstrating the biologic importance of these complexes in antigen recognition.

Antigens↗