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M B Brenner

Publications and source records attributed to M B Brenner.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

CD1-restricted T cell recognition of microbial lipoglycan antigens.

It has long been the paradigm that T cells recognize peptide antigens presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. However, nonpeptide antigens can be presented to T cells by human CD1b molecules, which are not encoded by the MHC. A major class of microbial antigens associated with pathogenicity are lipoglycans. It is shown here that human CD1b presents the defined mycobacterial lipoglycan lipoarabinomannan (LAM) to alpha beta T cell receptor-bearing lymphocytes. Presentation of these lipoglycan antigens required internalization and endosomal acidification. The T cell recognition required mannosides with alpha(1-->2) linkages and a phosphotidylinositol unit. T cells activated by LAM produced interferon gamma and were cytolytic. Thus, an important class of microbial molecules, the lipoglycans, is a part of the universe of foreign antigens recognized by human T cells.

Antigen Presentation↗

Natural and synthetic non-peptide antigens recognized by human gamma delta T cells.

T lymphocytes express either alpha beta or gamma delta T-cell receptor heterodimers. Most alpha beta T cells recognize antigenic peptides bound to major histocompatibility complex molecules but the antigen recognition and biological function of gamma delta T cells is unknown. A major human gamma delta T-cell subset expressing V gamma 2 and V delta 2 germline genes, but having diverse junctional sequences, is found in human mycobacterial lesions and responds in vitro to antigens of bacteria and parasites. In addition, certain haematopoietic tumour cells are specifically recognized and lysed by these T cells. V gamma 2V delta 2-bearing T cells were shown to recognize mycobacterial antigens that are protease resistant and phosphatase sensitive. Because of the difficulty in isolating natural antigens from mycobacterial culture filtrates or extracts, we synthesized a series of monoalkyl phosphates, and found that some, particularly monoethyl phosphate, could mimic the activity of mycobacterial antigens in stimulating these gamma delta T cells. Here we report the identification of natural antigens produced by mycobacteria recognized by human V gamma 2V delta 2-bearing T cells as isopentenyl pyrophosphate and related prenyl pyrophosphate derivatives, compounds involved in the synthesis of complex polyisoprenoid compounds in microbial and mammalian cells. Substitution of phosphate for the pyrophosphate moiety, or elimination of the double bond, greatly reduced antigenic activity of these compounds. These results provide formal evidence that, in contrast to recognition of major histocompatibility complex-bound peptide antigens by alpha beta T cells, human gamma delta T cells can recognize naturally occurring small non-peptidic antigens.

Antigens, Bacterial↗

V gamma 2V delta 2 TCR-dependent recognition of non-peptide antigens and Daudi cells analyzed by TCR gene transfer.

The predominant subpopulation of gamma delta T cells in human peripheral blood expresses TCR V region genes V gamma 2 paired with V delta 2. Previous studies have shown that these V gamma 2V delta 2+ T cells proliferate in response to Daudi Burkitt lymphoma cells, synthetic alkyl phosphate molecules including monoethylphosphate (MEP), and an Ag chemically similar to MEP purified from mycobacterial extracts of several species including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This proliferation is polyclonal and determined by the TCR V gene. However, because these alkyl phosphate molecules are so distinct from conventional peptides and superantigens, we questioned whether these substances induce gamma delta T cell proliferation via TCR-dependent recognition. Here we report that transfection of TCR- Jurkat T cells with cDNA constructs encoding a V gamma 2V delta 2 TCR enabled the transfectants to produce IL-2 in response to Daudi cells, mycobacterial extract, and MEP. The responses were dose dependent and Ag specific. These results demonstrate an essential role for the gamma delta TCR in V gamma 2V delta 2 T cell-mediated recognition of non-peptide Ags by human T cells and suggest a structural similarity or cross-reactivity between cellular and microbial Ags recognized by these gamma delta T cells.

Antigens, Bacterial↗

Association of the invariant chain with major histocompatibility complex class I molecules directs trafficking to endocytic compartments.

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II molecules have been shown to present peptides of different origin to alpha beta T cells. Most peptides presented by class I molecules are derived from endogenously synthesized proteins, whereas most peptides presented by class II molecules are from exogenous sources. This functional dichotomy can largely be achieved by the preferential intracellular association of the invariant chain (Ii) with MHC class II molecules, which may inhibit binding of endogenous peptides to class II molecules and direct them to endocytic compartments where extracellularly derived peptides can be sampled. Here, we show that Ii also can associate with a subset of MHC class I molecules and direct them to endocytic compartments. Ii was coprecipitated with class I molecules after lysis of human lymphocytes in mild detergent such as 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propane-sulfonic acid or digitonin, and the association was more clearly visualized by the use of dithiobis[succinimidyl-propionate], a homobifunctional chemical cross-linker. The class I.Ii complex was reconstituted in Ii negative cells by transfection of corresponding cDNA clones and was found to be transported through the Golgi to acidic endocytic compartments. These observations may explain how some exogenous antigens can be presented by MHC class I molecules and how MHC class II molecules can bind self peptides derived from MHC class I molecules in endocytic compartments.

Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte↗

MHC class I-like, class II-like and CD1 molecules: distinct roles in immunity.

Genes encoding MHC class I-like, class II-like and CD1 molecules have evolved to assume specific immunological functions. Some class I-like molecules, including H-2M3 and Qa-2, present formylated bacterial peptides or have distinct peptide-binding motifs. The class II-like DMA and DMB gene products play a role in presentation of peptide antigen by class II molecules. By contrast, CD1 molecules appear to have evolved separately into presenters of nonprotein antigens and into TCR ligands with specialized roles in the immune response. Thus, class I-like, class II-like and CD1 molecules appear either to serve important independent functions or to complement MHC class I and class II. It is expected that future efforts will increasingly reveal the functional ramifications of these molecules.

Animals↗

The beta 7 integrins in mucosal homing and retention.

Lymphocytes recirculate extensively throughout the body and then localize in tissues and lymphoid organs. This is accomplished by an array of adhesion molecules on lymphocytes and counter-receptors on the vascular endothelium, extracellular matrix and the epithelium. Recent studies have identified several of the specific molecular interactions that mediate lymphocyte trafficking. Lymphocytes expressing alpha 4 beta 7 home to the intestine through recognition of the mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 (MAdCAM-1) expressed on Peyer's patch high endothelial venules. T cells in nearly all mucosal epithelial sites express the alpha E beta 7 integrin which has been shown to mediate lymphocyte binding to epithelial cell E-cadherin. Thus, members of the B7 subfamily of integrins, alpha E beta 7 and alpha 4 beta 7, and their counter-receptors, are believed to play key roles in directing lymphocyte traffic to and retention in mucosal organs.

Animals↗

Direct presentation of nonpeptide prenyl pyrophosphate antigens to human gamma delta T cells.

Human V gamma 2V delta 2+ T cells recognize mycobacterial nonpeptide antigens, such as isopentenyl pyrophosphate, and their synthetic analogs, such as monoethyl phosphate, through a TCR-dependent process. Here, we examine the presentation of these antigens. V gamma 2V delta 2+ T cells recognized secreted prenyl pyrophosphate antigens in the absence of other accessory cells but, under such conditions, required T cell-T cell contact. Recognition required neither the expression of classical MHC class I, MHC class II, or CD1a, CD1b, and CD1c molecules, nor MHC class I or class II peptide loading pathways. Fixed accessory cells also presented the prenyl pyrophosphate antigens to gamma delta T cells. Thus, in contrast with the presentation of conventional peptide antigens, protein antigens, and superantigens to alpha beta T cells, prenyl pyrophosphate antigens are presented to gamma delta T cells through a novel extracellular pathway that does not require antigen uptake, antigen processing, or MHC class I or class II expression. This pathway allows for the rapid recognition of bacteria by gamma delta T cells and suggests that gamma delta T cells play a role in the early response to bacterial infection.

Antigen Presentation↗

T cell receptor distribution in rheumatoid synovial follicles.

OBJECTIVE: In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) joint erosion is accompanied by T cell infiltration of the synovial tissue. The resulting T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire is a combination of antigen driven shaping, nonspecific selection by endothelial cell-T cell interactions, and cytokine mediated chemoattraction. Considering the conflicting results of molecular biology studies of the TCR repertoire in RA, we attempted to obtain new data to clarify the situation through microscopic distribution analysis of TCR beta chain diversity in synovium follicular CD4/CD8 subsets. METHODS: We used dual color fluorescence confocal microscopy with CD4/CD8 monoclonal antibodies (Mab) and a panel of new anti-V beta Mab. The analysis focussed on lymphocyte rich, follicle-like areas of synovial tissue from 4 patients with RA. RESULTS: The expression of individual TCR beta families varied between areas within the T cell follicles, and between patients. Normal absolute levels of some beta chains can be completely skewed towards one subset, indicating that overall TCR evaluation is insufficient. CONCLUSION: Confocal microscopy analysis of localized TCR diversity in RA synovium offers novel insight into overall V beta gene usage, which appears to be the accumulation of several localized microexpansions.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Recognition of a lipid antigen by CD1-restricted alpha beta+ T cells.

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II molecules bind immunogenic peptides and present them to lymphocytes bearing the alpha beta T-cell antigen receptor (TCR). An analogous antigen-presenting function also has been proposed for the non-MHC-encoded CD1 molecules, a family of non-polymorphic, beta 2-microglobulin-associated glycoproteins expressed on most professional antigen-presenting cells. In support of this hypothesis, CD1 molecules are recognized by selected CD4-CD8- alpha beta or gamma delta TCR+ T-cell clones, and we have recently shown that CD1 molecules restrict the recognition of foreign microbial antigens by alpha beta TCR+ T cells. But the substantial structural divergence of CD1 from MHC class I and class II molecules, raises the possibility that the antigens presented by the CD1 system may differ fundamentally from those presented by MHC-encoded molecules. Here we report that a purified CD1b-restricted antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis presented to alpha beta TCR+ T cells is mycolic acid, a family of alpha-branched, beta-hydroxy, long-chain fatty acids found in mycobacteria. This example of non-protein microbial antigen recognition suggests that alpha beta TCR+ T cells recognize a broader range of antigens than previously appreciated and that at least one member of the CD1 family has evolved the ability to present lipid antigens.

Antigen Presentation↗

An unstable beta 2-microglobulin: major histocompatibility complex class I heavy chain intermediate dissociates from calnexin and then is stabilized by binding peptide.

Proper assembly of the class I heavy chain (HC), beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m), and peptide must occur in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in order for MHC class I molecules to be expressed on the cell surface. Newly synthesized class I HC bind calnexin, an ER resident chaperone. These calnexin-associated class I HC appeared to lack the stable association with beta 2m in peptide transporter-deficient T2 cells since beta 2m-unassociated class I HC-specific HC10 antibody, but not beta 2m-associated class I HC-specific W6/32 antibody, coimmunoprecipitated calnexin. To determine the precursor-product relationship of the pool of HC that bind peptide, class I-restricted peptides were added to lysates of T2 cells in vitro. These peptides stabilized preexisting beta 2m-associated HC complexes (beta 2m+:HC:pep-), but had no significant effect on the preexisting pool of calnexin-associated HC that lack beta 2m. Release of HC from calnexin appeared to be controlled by the binding of beta 2m, since beta 2m-deficient FO-1 cells showed a prolonged association of class I HC with calnexin, while beta 2m-transfected FO-1 cells displayed a more rapid dissociation of class I HC from calnexin. Consistent with this result, the dissociation of class I HC from calnexin did not appear to be dependent on peptide binding since the dissociation rates were similar in peptide transporter-deficient T2 cells and in wild-type T1 cells. From these observations, we speculate that in the stepwise assembly of class I molecules, calnexin may mediate dimerization of class I HC with beta 2m, and that the unstable beta 2m+:HC:pep- complexes, after dissociation from calnexin, subsequently bind peptide to complete the assembly.

Animals↗

Recognition and destruction of virus-infected cells by human gamma delta CTL.

We examined the response of human gamma delta T cells to herpes simplex virus (HSV). PBMC from HSV seropositive individuals were stimulated with autologous HSV-infected PHA blasts. There was a 4- to 28-fold expansion of gamma delta T cells that were > 95% positive for TCR variable region genes V gamma 2 paired with V delta 2 (V gamma 2V delta 2 T cells). PBMC from these cultures lysed Daudi cells and HSV-infected, but not mock-infected targets. The cytotoxicity was contained predominantly within the gamma delta T cell subset, because depletion of alpha beta T cells enriched the cytotoxic activity, whereas depletion of gamma delta T cells abrogated it. Surprisingly, cloned V gamma 2V delta 2 T cells derived from PHA or mycobacterial stimulation also lysed HSV-infected, but not mock-infected targets. Moreover, both the polyclonal HSV-stimulated gamma delta T cells and the cloned V gamma 2V delta 2 T cells derived from unrelated stimulators (PHA or mycobacteria) also lysed targets infected with vaccinia virus, which is unrelated to HSV. Cytotoxic activity was not restricted by classical HLA class I or class II molecules, and could be blocked with mAbs to CD3 and the gamma delta TCR. These data demonstrate that gamma delta T cells proliferate in response to virus-infected cells and mediate their destruction. Such virus-stimulated gamma delta T cells seem to mediate a TCR-dependent antiviral effector function which is most likely not directed against Ags specific to a particular virus, but presumably directed against a cellular ligand induced or modified by acute viral infection.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Adhesion between epithelial cells and T lymphocytes mediated by E-cadherin and the alpha E beta 7 integrin.

In contrast to sessile cell types, lymphocytes migrate through the vasculature to become diffusely distributed in tissues or organized in lymphoid structures. A complex array of adhesion molecules including selectins, integrins and their counter-receptors mediate lymphocyte homing and migration into tissues and may be constitutively expressed or induced. However, the molecules that mediate the tissue-specific retention of lymphocytes within the parenchyma have not been identified. Along the epithelium at the basolateral surface of enterocytes, intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes are found. These T cells of the mucosal immune system serve as a model for the tissue-specific compartmentalization of lymphocytes. We investigated whether the localization of these intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes could be mediated by specific interactions between adhesion molecules expressed selectively on this subpopulation of T cells and tissue-restricted adhesion molecules on epithelial cells. Here we show that heterotypic adhesive interactions between epithelial cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes in vitro are mediated by E-cadherin and the alpha E beta 7 integrin.

Animals↗

TCR usage and functional capabilities of human gamma delta T cells at birth.

Little is known about the gamma delta T cells in human neonatal umbilical cord blood. To compare neonatal cord blood and adult blood gamma delta T cells, we studied the V gamma and V delta gene segment usage in these populations by flow cytometry, and we derived cord blood gamma delta T cell clones to determine their functional capabilities. Unlike adult blood gamma delta T cells that predominantly express V gamma 2V delta 2 TCRs, neonatal cord blood gamma delta T cells expressed diverse V gamma and V delta gene segments paired in a variety of combinations rarely observed in adults. gamma delta T cell clones derived from neonatal cord blood similarly expressed a diverse array of TCRs. These cord blood-derived gamma delta T cell clones had weak cytolytic activity when assayed for K562 tumor cell killing, lectin-mediated cytolysis, and redirected cytolysis. They also expressed lower levels of the CD2, LFA-1, and CD45RO cell surface receptors as compared with strongly cytolytic adult gamma delta T cell clones. These properties of the cord blood-derived gamma delta T cell clones, weak cytotoxic activity and low adhesion molecule expression, were similar to the properties of the CD4+ subset of adult gamma delta T cells. Thus, neonatal gamma delta T cells are functionally different from the majority of adult gamma delta T cells and display a distinct TCR repertoire and accessory molecule profile.

Adult↗

Nonpeptide ligands for human gamma delta T cells.

gamma delta T cells respond to a variety of microbial pathogens and transformed cells. Their limited receptor repertoire and activation by mycobacterial antigens resistant to proteases suggest that they may recognize nonpeptide antigens. We have tested a variety of nonpeptide molecules for stimulation of human gamma delta T cells. Synthetic alkyl phosphates, particularly monoethyl phosphate (MEP), selectively activated gamma delta T cells and stimulated their proliferation in vitro. All gamma delta T cells stimulated by MEP expressed V gamma 2/V delta 2 receptors. The purified natural ligand of mycobacteria is chemically similar to, though distinct from, MEP and contains a phosphate residue that is critical for biological activity. Recognition and expansion of a specific T-cell receptor-bearing population to non-peptide ligands is unprecedented among T cells. We suggest that MEP mimics small natural ligands capable of expanding one subset of gamma delta T cells and that this recognition of nonpeptide antigens may play an important role in human immunity to pathogens.

Antibodies↗

Calnexin retains unassembled major histocompatibility complex class I free heavy chains in the endoplasmic reticulum.

The assembly of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules involves the association of heavy (H) chain with beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m) and peptide. Unassembled class I H chains do not exit the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and this is exemplified by the beta 2m-deficient human melanoma FO-1 where free class I H chains are unable to complete assembly. In pulse chase experiments involving FO-1 cells, unassembled free class I H chains were shown to be stably associated with calnexin (IP90/p88), a 90-kD integral membrane molecular chaperone of the ER. To establish a role for calnexin in mediating this retention, we transfected FO-1 cells with a cytoplasmic tail deletion mutant of calnexin. Since the cytoplasmic tail contains the ER retention motif, these mutant calnexin molecules leave the ER and progress to the cell surface. In these stable transfectants of FO-1, free class I H chains also exited the ER and trafficked to the cell surface with calnexin, thus establishing a role for calnexin in the quality control of MHC class I assembly through mediating the ER retention of incompletely assembled class I H chains.

Calcium-Binding Proteins↗

Molecular cloning of the human mucosal lymphocyte integrin alpha E subunit. Unusual structure and restricted RNA distribution.

The human mucosal lymphocyte-1 (HML-1) antigen is expressed on a subclass of T-lymphocytes known as intra-epithelial lymphocytes which are located between mucosal epithelial cells. The HML-1 complex is known to mediate adhesion of intra-epithelial T-lymphocytes to epithelial cell monolayers in vitro. We and others have shown that the HML-1 antigen is an integrin composed of the beta 7 subunit in association with a novel alpha subunit, alpha E. Here we report the cloning of the alpha E cDNA and its primary amino acid sequence. alpha E contained an inserted or I domain and was more homologous to the other I domain containing integrins than to the cleaved group of integrin alpha subunits. However, alpha E contained a unique extra domain of 55 amino acids located just NH2-terminal to the I domain without counterpart in other integrins. This extra domain contained a stretch of 18 consecutive charged residues and included a proteolytic cleavage site. Thus alpha E is the only I domain containing integrin alpha subunit that is also cleaved, and the cleavage site is distinct from that of members of the cleaved group of integrin alpha subunits. These structural features mark alpha E as an unusual member of the integrin family. High levels of alpha E and beta 7 mRNA were restricted to mucosal lymphocytes supporting the hypothesis that alpha E beta 7 plays a role in the localization or site-specific functions of intra-epithelial T-lymphocytes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗