Structural analysis of a peptide-HLA class II complex.
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Biomedical subjects
J B Rothbard
Publications and source records attributed to J B Rothbard.
Structural and functional studies of HLA-DR restricted antigen recognition by human helper T lymphocyte clones by using transfected murine cell lines.
Murine L cells expressing the products of transfected HLA-DR1 genes functioned as APC for two influenza-specific, human Th cell clones with comparable efficiency to a DR1-expressing human lymphoblastoid cell line. In order to investigate the restriction specificity of the two Th clones, a transfectant expressing the species-mismatched MHC class II dimer DR1:I-E was tested as an APC. Both T cells showed no loss of Ag sensitivity due to substitution of the murine chain. One of the Th clones, TLC 72, showed even greater degeneracy by responding to Ag in the context of I-Ek. Taking into account the lower level of MHC class II expression on the I-Ek transfectant, there is remarkably little loss of efficiency of Ag-induced T cell activation due to the substitution of I-E for DR as restriction element. The Ag-specific responses of both clones were inhibited by anti-CD4 antibody when DR-transfected L cells or human lymphoblastoid cells were used as APC. This inhibition was also seen when Ag was presented to TLC72 by the I-Ek-expressing transfectant. Whether this inhibition is the result of negative signaling or of blocking an interaction between human CD4 and I-Ek is discussed. Similarly the inhibitory effects of mAb against the T cell accessory molecule LFA/1 were the same for both clones when either the transfectants or the lymphoblastoid cell line were used as APC, suggesting that L cells may express a molecule that is capable of acting as a ligand for human LFA/1. The results presented here further illustrate the value of transfectants in analyzing T cell recognition and accessory cell requirements. The patterns of degeneracy of MHC restriction exhibited by these clones provides a platform for a more detailed analysis of key residues involved in MHC class II-restricted T cell Ag recognition.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Multiple discrete encephalitogenic epitopes of the autoantigen myelin basic protein include a determinant for I-E class II-restricted T cells.
Immunization with the autoantigen myelin basic protein (MBP) causes experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). Initial investigations indicated that encephalitogenic murine determinants of MBP were located only within MBP 1-37 and MBP 89-169. Encephalitogenic T cell epitopes within these fragments have been identified. Each epitope is recognized by T cells in association with separate allelic I-A molecules. A hybrid I-E-restricted T cell clone that recognizes intact mouse (self) MBP has been examined. The epitope recognized by this clone includes MBP residues 35-47. When tested in vivo, p35-47 causes EAE. T cell recognition of p35-47 occurs only in association with I-E molecules. These results provide the first clear example that antigen-specific T cells restricted by I-E class II molecules participate in murine autoimmune disease. Furthermore, it is clear that there are multiple (at least three) discrete encephalitogenic T cell epitopes of this autoantigen, each recognized in association with separate allelic class II molecules. These results may be relevant to human autoimmune diseases whose susceptibility is associated with more than one HLA-D molecule.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Predominant expression of a T cell receptor V beta gene subfamily in autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
TCR beta chain gene expression of individual T cell clones that share the same MHC class II restriction and similar fine specificity for the encephalitogenic NH2 terminus of the autoantigen myelin basic protein (MBP) has been examined. TCR V beta expression was examined by FACS analysis with mAbs specific for the V beta 8 subfamily of TCR beta chain genes. 14 of 18 (78%) NH2-terminal MBP-specific clones examined express a member of the TCR V beta 8 subfamily. Southern analysis was used to identify which member(s) of the TCR V beta 8 subfamily is expressed by these clones. Each of four clones examined uses V beta 8.2, though two different V beta 8.2-J beta 2 combinations were identified. Our findings indicate that there is restricted TCR V beta usage in the autoimmune T cell response to the dominant encephalitogenic NH2-terminal epitope of the MBP. The use of an mAb to the antigen-specific TCR in the prevention of T cell-mediated autoimmune disease has been investigated. Our results demonstrate that in vivo administration of a TCR V beta 8-specific mAb prevents induction of autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
Animals↗
Structural model of HLA-DR1 restricted T cell antigen recognition.
Two human helper T cell determinants in influenza have been identified, one in the hemagglutinin and the other in the matrix protein (M1). Both were shown to be DR1 restricted by using transfected L cells to present antigen. Comparison of the sequences of the two peptides revealed a similar pattern that could account for their DR1 specificity if the peptides adopt a helical conformation. The model was supported by the demonstration that hybrid peptides, composed of the amino acids that interact with DR1 from one determinant and the residues that interact with the T cell receptor from the other, were recognized by each clone. The generality of the motif was confirmed by the finding that DR1 individuals respond to a ragweed peptide containing the defined pattern.
Allergens↗
Enhanced recognition of a modified peptide antigen by cytotoxic T cells specific for influenza nucleoprotein.
A previously identified Kd restricted epitope of influenza A virus nucleoprotein (147-161) was modified, resulting in recognition by Kd restricted cytotoxic T cells at significantly lower concentrations than the natural peptide sequence. This was achieved by first refining the epitope to the minimum determinant 147-158. Deletion of arginine 156 resulted in a peptide that was shown to be greatly superior in both dose response titrations and in its rate of association with cells to form targets. Analog peptides were tested to determine the important amino acid changes. These data suggest that T cell epitopes can be modified to result in improved immunological recognition.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Prediction and identification of an HLA-DR-restricted T cell determinant in the 19-kDa protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
An allele-specific motif has been identified in the sequence of several peptides which are recognized by T cells in association with HLA-DR1. In order to test the predictive values of such a motif we analyzed the 19-kDa antigen from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and identified a sequence containing a pattern characteristic of DR1 restriction. Peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes from every DR1 and 4 individual tested responded to the corresponding synthetic peptide. Nine other donors, constituting seven different DR alleles, failed to recognize this sequence. Recognition of the peptide in association with DR1 and DR4 was confirmed using T cell clones and transfected murine L cell lines expressing DR molecules.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Species conservation of the T cell lymphocyte CD2 cell surface antigen.
A rabbit polyclonal antiserum was raised against a synthetic peptide, termed CD2-300, comprizing 18 amino acid resides which are conserved among the cytoplasmic domains of the human, rat and mouse CD2 antigens. Cross-depletion experiments showed that the CD2 monoclonal antibody OKT11 and purified CD2-300 antibodies (Ab) precipitated the same molecules from the surface of human T lymphoblasts. The results of immunoprecipitation analyses indicated that the purified CD2-300 Ab were specific for human and mouse CD2, and that the CD2-300 peptide competitively and specifically inhibited precipitation by CD2-300 Ab in both species. When employed to stain murine tissues, the CD2-300 Ab gave the anticipated pattern of distribution for the CD2 antigen, although there was some nonspecific labeling of non-T cells.
Animals↗
A sequence pattern common to T cell epitopes.
An analysis of the known cytotoxic and helper T cell epitopes has revealed similarity within their primary sequences. These similar motifs, characteristic of the known determinants, have been incorporated into predictive templates that have been used successfully to define eight helper and three cytotoxic epitopes in four different proteins. When the defined epitopes are segregated by restriction element, allele specific subpatterns emerge centering around the general pattern. The presence of similarities argues that the binding of peptide antigens to class I and class II is similar in nature. In addition, these motifs can be used to predict accurately areas within proteins capable of being recognized by individual MHC class I and class II molecules.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Characterization of a major encephalitogenic T cell epitope in SJL/J mice with synthetic oligopeptides of myelin basic protein.
The C-terminal 89-169 amino acid fragment of myelin basic protein (MBP) causes experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in SJL/J mice. In order to identify the encephalitogenic T cell epitope, we have examined the fine specificity of encephalitogenic SJL/J T cell clones with synthetic peptides derived from the C-terminal 89-169 amino acids of MBP. These peptides were examined for their immunogenic and encephalitogenic activity in the SJL/J mouse. The SJL/J-derived, encephalitogenic T cell clone, 4b.14a, was shown to be responsive to rat myelin basic protein synthetic peptides pR89-101 (VHFFKNIVTPRTP) as well as to intact MBP. Its response was effectively blocked by mAb 10-2.16 (anti-I-As) as was the response to intact MBP. Furthermore, pR89-101 was revealed to be highly immunogenic for the (PLSJ)F1 mouse in terms of lymphocyte proliferation, but not for the PL/J mouse, in spite of the fact that there exists a strong bias to H-2u restricted responses in the (PLSJ)F1 mouse at the T cell level. By using pR89-101, T cells of (PLSJ)F1 origin were revealed to recognize the peptide in association with the I-As molecule on (PLSJ)F1 antigen presenting cells (APC). When examined for encephalitogenicity for the SJL/J mouse, pR89-101 was found to be as encephalitogenic as intact rat MBP. These results demonstrated that MBP peptide pR89-101 is a major encephalitogenic determinant for the SJL/J mouse.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Amylin found in amyloid deposits in human type 2 diabetes mellitus may be a hormone that regulates glycogen metabolism in skeletal muscle.
Diabetes-associated peptide has recently been isolated and characterized from the amyloid of the islets of Langerhans in type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetics, and immunoreactivity with antibodies to the peptide has been demonstrated in islet B cells of both normal and type 2 diabetic subjects. In view of the evidence presented in this paper that this 37-amino acid peptide may be a hormone present in normal individuals, we now propose the name "amylin" to replace "diabetes-associated peptide." Because increased amylin, deposited as amyloid within the islets of Langerhans, is characteristic of type 2 diabetes, the study below was performed to examine the possible effects of amylin on peripheral glucose metabolism. Whole amylin was synthesized by using solid-phase techniques, with formation of the disulfide linkage by oxidation in dilute aqueous solution and recovery of the peptide by lyophilization. The effects of amylin on glucose metabolism were studied in two preparations in vitro, isolated rat soleus muscle strips and isolated rat adipocytes. In skeletal muscle exposed to 120 nM amylin for 1 hr, there was a marked decrease in both basal and submaximally insulin-stimulated rates of glycogen synthesis, which resulted in significant reduction in the rates of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. In muscles treated with amylin there was no response at the concentration of insulin required to stimulate glucose uptake half-maximally in untreated (control) muscles. In marked contrast, amylin had no effect on either basal or insulin-stimulated rates of glucose incorporation into either CO2 or triacylglycerol in isolated adipocytes. Therefore, amylin may be a factor in the etiology of the insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus, as both deposition of the peptide in islet amyloid and decreased rates of glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in skeletal muscle are characteristic of this condition.
Amyloid↗
Involvement of distinct murine T-cell receptors in the autoimmune encephalitogenic response to nested epitopes of myelin basic protein.
The peptide p89-101 (Val-His-Phe-Phe-Lys-Asn-Ile-Val-Thr-Pro-Arg-Thr-Pro) of myelin basic protein is encephalitogenic in mice expressing H-2q and H-2s antigens. Six of 13 encephalitogen-specific T-cell clones were shown to express the variable beta-chain (V beta) 17a gene product (KJ23a+), whereas seven clones were KJ23a-. Both KJ23a+ and KJ23a- subpopulations were encephalitogenic in SJL/J mice when adoptively transferred. Depletion of KJ23a+ cells in vivo with the administration of the antibody KJ23a suppresses experimental allergic encephalomyelitis induced with KJ23a+ T-cell lines. However, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis induced with either (i) encephalitogenic peptide p89-101, (ii) intact myelin basic protein, or (iii) KJ23a- T cells reactive to p89-101 cannot be prevented with monoclonal antibody KJ23a. These data indicate that in spite of the V beta 17a gene expression in a relatively large proportion of p89-101-specific T cells, such V beta gene use is not essential for the induction of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in SJL/J mice. These results contrast with the predominance of V beta gene use (V beta 8.2) in T cells reactive to the encephalitogenic fragment (pR1-11) in PL/J mice. One reason for this lack of dominant use of a particular T-cell receptor V beta gene family in the autoimmune response to myelin basic protein in SJL/J mice stems from the observation that two encephalitogenic epitopes exist in p89-101. KJ23a- T cells are stimulated by the deleted peptide p89-100, whereas KJ23a+ T cells are not. Thus, in the response to an encephalitogenic fragment of myelin basic protein containing two nested epitopes, at least two distinct T-cell receptor V beta genes are expressed. These distinct T-cell subpopulations can each trigger experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. These findings have implications for therapy of autoimmune disease with antibodies to the T-cell receptor gene products.
Animals↗
Molecular basis for cytolytic T-lymphocyte recognition of the murine cytomegalovirus immediate-early protein pp89.
The murine cytomegalovirus protein pp89, which is encoded by gene ieI, is a nonstructural regulatory protein expressed in the immediate-early phase of the viral replication cycle and located mainly in the nucleus of infected cells. Protection of BALB/c (H-2d) mice against a lethal murine cytomegalovirus challenge infection is achieved by vaccination with a recombinant vaccinia virus, MCMV-ieI-VAC, expressing pp89 as the only murine cytomegalovirus gene product. The protection is entirely mediated by T lymphocytes of the CD8+ subset. In the present report, we analyzed the molecular basis of the recognition of pp89 by BALB/c CD8+ cytolytic T lymphocytes. A series of internal and terminal deletion mutants of gene ieI was constructed and cloned in vaccinia virus, and the antigenicity and immunogenicity of the fragments of pp89 expressed by the recombinants were studied. A region of only one-sixth of the protein, from amino acids 154 to 249 and encoded by the fourth exon of gene ieI, was sufficient for both the recognition in vitro of the protein by pp89-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes and the induction in vivo of pp89-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. By using synthetic peptides, the sequence between residues 161 and 179, which is located within the defined domain, was identified as an epitope presented to BALB/C cytotoxic T lymphocytes by the class I major histocompatibility antigen Ld.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Idiotype vaccination against murine B cell lymphoma. Humoral and cellular responses elicited by tumor-derived immunoglobulin M and its molecular subunits.
C3H/HeN mice were immunized with idiotypic immunoglobulin M (IgM) and its molecular subunits from the syngeneic 38C13 lymphoma. Immunization with idiotypic IgM (38C-Id) resulted in idiotype-specific humoral and cellular immunity and protection against a lethal tumor cell challenge. Heavy (H38C) and light (L38C) chains were isolated by electroelution from preparative polyacrylamide gels. Both of these immunogens induced significant resistance to a subsequent tumor challenge. Variable region immunogens, in the form of trpE-fusion proteins, were obtained by cloning heavy and light chain variable region genes into the expression plasmid pATH-11. Of these, only the trpE-VH38C immunogen yielded immune resistance to tumor challenge. Finally, the nucleic acid sequence of 38C-Id light chain was determined and, based on the corresponding amino acid sequence and an analysis of predicted secondary structure, a region of potential antigenicity in complementarity-determining region 3 was chosen for the production of a synthetic peptide. Vaccination with this synthetic peptide resulted in significant suppression of tumor growth. Analysis of the humoral and cellular immunity generated by these vaccines revealed the presence of antibodies reactive with native idiotypic IgM only in 38C-Id, H38C, and trpE-VH38C immune sera, although the latter two were not idiotype-specific. Idiotype-specific lymphocytes, which proliferated in response to native 38C-Id, were observed in all immune animals. With the exception of the fusion protein immunogens, conjugation to an immunogenic carrier protein (keyhole limpet hemocyanin or thyroglobulin) was required for optimal humoral and cellular responses.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Expression of the c-erbB-2 protein in normal and transformed cells.
Two synthetic peptides from the predicted sequence of the human c-erbB-2 protein were synthesized and used to raise antisera in rabbits. The sequences chosen were identical to those in the homologous rat c-neu protein. The antibodies produced reacted with the immunizing peptides in ELISA but showed little or no cross-reaction with the partly homologous peptides found in equivalent positions in the human EGF receptor. Both antipeptide antibodies, and a monoclonal antibody (MAb) specific for the rat neu protein, immunoprecipitated a 185-kDa protein from 35S-methionine-labelled lysates prepared from a rat cell line known to express high levels of the c-neu protein. The antipeptide antibodies also recognized a protein of the same size in Western blots. In addition, both antipeptide antibodies immunoprecipitated a 190-kDa protein from labelled cell lysates prepared from human and monkey cells. Antibodies to one of the peptides, which showed no detectable cross-reaction with human, rat or monkey EGF receptor, were used to examine the expression of the c-erbB-2 protein on a variety of cultured cell types. Eleven transformed, I non-established and 2 immortalized cell types were examined by immunoprecipitation for their level of expression of the c-erbB-2 protein and of the EGF receptor. The numbers of EGF receptors varied widely between different cell lines, whereas the level of the c-erbB-2 protein, which was found on all of the cell types examined, was more constant. The number of c-erbB-2 molecules present was estimated by autoradiography to be about 100,000 per cell. The antibodies were then used to examine the location and level of expression of the human c-erbB-2 and rat c-neu proteins in normal tissues. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the c-erbB-2 protein was highly expressed in rat kidney proximal tubules and loop of Henle. The c-erbB-2 protein was also present on normal human epithelial cells but in some cases with a different distribution to that of the EGF receptor.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
T cell specificity for class II (I-A) and the encephalitogenic N-terminal epitope of the autoantigen myelin basic protein.
The role of class II restriction in T cell recognition of an epitope of the autoantigen myelin basic protein (MBP) has been investigated. Encephalitogenic PL/J(H-2u) and (PL/J X SJL/J(H-2s))F1 ((PLSJ)F1) clones, isolated after immunization with intact MBP, recognize the N-terminal 11 amino acid residues of MBP in association with I-Au class II molecules. The synthetic peptide MBP 1-11 has been tested in vivo for induction of EAE. Clinical and histological EAE occurs in PL/J and (PLSJ)F1 mice but not SJL/J. The class II restriction of T cells primed with MBP 1-11 has been examined in primary cultures in vitro. Similar to encephalitogenic T cell clones, isolated after continuous selection in vitro, the population of MBP 1-11-specific proliferative PL/J and (PLSJ)F1 T cells, recognize this epitope in association with I-Au class II molecules. Not all MBP-specific T cell clones which are restricted to I-Au class II molecules cause autoimmune encephalomyelitis. The specificity of these non-encephalitogenic clones has been examined in this report. These clones also recognize MBP 1-11. Thus recognition of an encephalitogenic T cell epitope is not sufficient for induction of EAE.
Animals↗
Mapping of T cell epitopes using recombinant antigens and synthetic peptides.
Two complementary approaches were used to determine the epitope specificity of clonal and polyclonal human T lymphocytes reactive with the 65-kd antigen of Mycobacterium leprae. A recombinant DNA sublibrary constructed from portions of the 65-kd gene was used to map T cell determinants within amino acid sequences 101-146 and 409-526. Independently, potential T cell epitopes within the protein were predicted based on an empirical analysis of specific patterns in the amino acid sequence. Of six peptides that were predicted and subsequently synthesised, two (112-132 and 437-459) were shown to contain human T cell epitopes. This corroborated and refined the results obtained using the recombinant DNA sublibrary. Both of these regions are identical in M. leprae and M. tuberculosis and are distinct from the known B cell epitopes of the 65-kd protein. This combination of recombinant DNA technology and peptide chemistry may prove valuable in analysis of the cellular immune response to infectious agents.
Amino Acid Sequence↗