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Structure of human CD1b with bound ligands at 2.3 Å, a maze for alkyl chains

Nature Immunology volume 3, pages 721–726 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

The human genome encodes five nonpolymorphic major histocompatibility complex class I–like glycoproteins, CD1a to CD1e, that present lipid antigens for specific recognition by T lymphocytes. Using single alkyl chain detergents, we developed a protocol to generate recombinant human CD1b-lipid complexes. We present here the crystal structures of CD1b in complex with either phosphatidylinositol or ganglioside GM2 at 2.3 Å and 2.8 Å resolutions, respectively. The antigen-binding groove houses four interlinked hydrophobic channels that are occupied by the alkyl chains of the glycolipid plus two detergent molecules. A distinct exit beneath the α2 helix further contributes to the plasticity of the binding groove. These structures reveal the mechanism by which two alkyl chain lipids bind to CD1b, and how CD1b can adapt to ligands of different alkyl chain length. They also suggest how very long alkyl chains, such as those of mycolic acid, could be fully contained within the binding groove. These results extend the spectrum of potential CD1b ligands by revealing that, in addition to two alkyl chain lipids, mono-alkyl and triple-alkyl chain lipids can be accommodated in the binding groove.

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Figure 1: Structure of the human CD1b-ligand complex.
Figure 2: Conformation of alkyl chain ligands bound by CD1b.
Figure 3: Differences between CD1b and other CD1 isoforms.
Figure 4: Models for binding of mycolic acid and triacylglycerol to CD1b.

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Acknowledgements

We thank D. Stuart for critical reading of the manuscript. Funded by the Cancer Research Institute, Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council (UK), the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and the Swiss National Science Foundation, Kurt und Senta Herrmann Stiftung, Roche Foundation and Novartis Foundation (to S. D. G.).

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Author notes

  1. Stephan D. Gadola

    Present address: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Berne, Inselspital, PKT2 D584, Berne, CH-3010, Switzerland

  2. Stephan D. Gadola and Nathan R. Zaccai: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nuffield Department of Medicine, Cancer Research UK Tumour Immunology Group, The Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, OX3 9DS, Oxford, UK

    Stephan D. Gadola, Dawn Shepherd & Vincenzo Cerundolo

  2. Cancer Research UK Receptor Structure Research Group, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, Headington, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK

    Nathan R. Zaccai, Karl Harlos & E. Yvonne Jones

  3. Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78457, Germany

    Julio C. Castro-Palomino & Richard R. Schmidt

  4. Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, New York Branch at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Gerd Ritter

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Gadola, S., Zaccai, N., Harlos, K. et al. Structure of human CD1b with bound ligands at 2.3 Å, a maze for alkyl chains. Nat Immunol 3, 721–726 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni821

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