Abstract
Before their recognition by T lymphocytes, protein antigens gen-erally require processing by antigen-presenting cells1. In a poorly understood series of events, the protein antigen is internalized, transformed and re-expressed on the surface of the antigen-pres-enting cell in association with gene products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Small peptides derived from the native protein can be recognized in the absence of antigen processing2–5, suggesting that processing involves proteolytic degradation. These peptides are thought to mimic the naturally produced peptide fragment. We describe here a synthetic peptide antigen of this type which does not require processing but which is nevertheless further processed by splenic antigen-presenting cells. Interestingly, this processing event specifically alters the interaction of the peptide with the class II MHC (la) molecule, markedly affecting both its potency as an antigen in vitro and its immunogenicity in vivo (IR gene control).
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Shimonkevitz, R., Kappler, J., Marrack, P. & Grey, H. M. J. exp. Med. 158, 303–316 (1983).
Unanue, E. R. & Allen, P. M. Science 236, 551–557 (1987).
Kovac, Z. & Schwartz, R. H. J. Immun. 134, 3233–3240 (1985).
Watts, T. H., Gariepy, J., Schoolnik, G. K. & McConnell, H. M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82, 5480–5484 (1985).
Townsend, A. R. M. et al. Cell 44, 959–968 (1986).
Schwartz, R. H. A. Rev. Immun. 3, 237–261 (1985).
Fox, B. S. et al. J. Immun. 139, 1578–1588 (1987).
Carbone, F. R., Fox, B. S., Schwartz, R. H. & Paterson, Y. J. Immun. 138, 1838–1844 (1987).
Schwartz, R. H., Fox, B. S., Fraga, E., Chen, C. & Singh, B. J. Immun. 135, 2598–2608 (1985).
Quill, H., Carlson, L., Fox, B. S., Weinstein, J. N. & Schwartz, R. H. J. immunol. Meth. 98, 29–41 (1987).
Heber-Katz, E., Hansburg, D. & Schwartz, R. H. J. molec. cell. Immun. 1, 3–14 (1983).
Quill, H. & Schwartz, R. H. J. Immun. 138, 3704–3712 (1987).
Jenkins, M., Pardoll, D. M., Mizuguchi, J., Chused, T. M. & Schwartz, R. H. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 5409–5413 (1987).
Fink, P. J., Matis, L. A., McElligott, D. L., Bookman, M. & Hedrick, S. M. Nature 321, 219–226 (1986).
Buus, S., Sette, A., Colon, S. M., Miles, C. & Grey, H. M. Science 235, 1353–1358 (1987).
Hecht, T. T., Longo, D. L. & Matis, L. A. J. Immun. 131, 1049–1055 (1983).
Kappler, J., White, J., Wegmann, D., Mustain, E. & Marrack, P. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 3604–3607 (1982).
Mosmann, T. R., Bond, M. W., Coffman, R. L., Ohara, J. & Paul, W. E. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A 83, 5654–5658 (1986).
Julius, M. H., Simpson, E. & Herzenberg, L. A. Eur. J. Immun. 3, 645–649 (1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fox, B., Carbone, F., Germain, R. et al. Processing of a minimal antigenic peptide alters its interaction with MHC molecules. Nature 331, 538–540 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/331538a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/331538a0
This article is cited by
-
Mapping T-cell receptor–peptide contacts by variant peptide immunization of single-chain transgenics
Nature (1992)
-
Sequence analysis of peptides bound to MHC class II molecules
Nature (1991)
-
Quantitation of antigen-presenting cell MHC class II/peptide complexes necessary for T-cell stimulation
Nature (1990)
-
Isolation of an endogenously processed immunodominant viral peptide from the class I H–2Kb molecule
Nature (1990)
-
Specificity pockets for the side chains of peptide antigens in HLA-Aw68
Nature (1989)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
