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Artificial antigen-presenting cells as a tool to exploit the immune `synapse'

Nature Medicine volume 6, pages 1406–1410 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

Recent progress in molecular medicine has provided important tools to identify antigen-specific T cells. In most cases, the approach is based on oligomeric combinations of recombinant major histocompatibility complex–peptide complexes fixed to various rigid supports available for binding by the T-cell receptor1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. These tools have greatly increased our insight into mechanisms of immune responses mediated by CD8+ T cells1,2. Examples of the diverse fields of application for this technology include immunization, viral infections and oral tolerance induction1,2,3,4,5,6.

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Figure 1: Identification of antigen-specific cells with T-cell capture in a monoclonal TCR population.
Figure 2: Identification by T-cell capture of class II-restricted antigen-specific mouse T cells after immunization.
Figure 3: Interaction of aAPC with T cells induces membrane capping.

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Acknowledgements

We thank D. Bonnin, D. Schuijffel, S. Nijenhuis and E. Quintela for technical support and assistance. We also thank Nicole Lewon for assistance in editing the manuscript. This study was supported in part by grants NO1-AR40770, NO1-AR44850, NO1-AR72232, NO1-AR41897 and NO1-AR92241. B.P. is supported by the `Ter Meulenfonds' of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and by the Dutch Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation. M.W. is supported by a fellowship from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, 92093–0663, California, USA

    Berent Prakken, Rodrigo Samodal, Joellen Barnett, Alberto Mendivil & Salvatore Albani

  2. Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, Utrecht University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 80165, Utrecht, 3508, TD, The Netherlands

    Marca Wauben

  3. Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, 92093-0663, California, USA

    Davide Genini & Lorenzo Leoni

  4. Androclus Therapeutics, Contrada Torre Allegra, Catania, 95030, Italy

    Salvatore Albani

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  1. Berent Prakken
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Correspondence to Salvatore Albani.

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Prakken, B., Wauben, M., Genini, D. et al. Artificial antigen-presenting cells as a tool to exploit the immune `synapse'. Nat Med 6, 1406–1410 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/82231

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