主要组织相容性复合体Ⅰ类分子抗原肽

被主要组织相容性复合体（MHC）Ⅰ类分子呈递在细胞表面的抗原肽大部分来源于细胞内新合成蛋白质的降解产物,抗原肽直接体现细胞内功能蛋白质的部分变化,蛋白酶体、氨肽酶和抗原转运体（TAP）参与调控抗原肽的生成。在MHC的组装、折叠过程中,抗原肽促进各亚基的结合和折叠进程;而在起始细胞的免疫应答过程中,抗原肽不仅诱导T细胞抗原受体的特异结合,更为重要的是延长MHC同T细胞抗原受体特异结合的作用时间。     

抗原受体与伴随分子

免疫细胞中的抗原受体分子直接影响着细胞的免疫应答过程。抗原受体在内质网中的正确折叠、组装过程是细胞合成有正常功能的抗原受体分子的关键步骤之一。研究表明抗原受体分子在内质网中的折叠、组装以及转运均与内质网中的伴随分子(Molecular Chaperones,或称伴侣分子)有关。因此,阐明内质网中抗原受体与伴随分子的相互作用过程对了解免疫细胞中的抗原受体分子的成熟以及抗原递呈有着重要的意义。     

超滤-高效液相色谱法检测pHLA复合物中的抗原肽北大核心CSCD

重组HLA-Ⅰ类分子/抗原肽复合物(pHLA复合物)在研究人类T细胞特异性免疫应答中有重要用途。pHLA复合物的制备以基因工程及蛋白体外稀释折叠复性技术为基础,在体外复性体系中重组HLA-Ⅰ类分子正确折叠,并结合抗原肽形成复合物。本研究建立了一种超滤-高效液相色谱法(超滤-HPLC法)定量检测重组pHLA复合物中的抗原肽,尤其针对少量制备产物中抗原肽的检测。通过将重组HLA-Ⅰ类分子和抗原肽加入到复性缓冲液中,使重组HLA-Ⅰ类分子的重链(heavy chain,HC)与轻链(β2m)复性折叠,与含锚定残基的VYF抗原肽结合形成pHLA复合物,经超滤去除未结合的游离抗原肽VYF而保留复合物,最后将pHLA复合物经酸处理破坏其相互作用从而释放抗原肽,再超滤收集VYF抗原肽并进行HPLC检测,所测得的VYF抗原肽即为重组HLA-Ⅰ类分子与抗原肽相互作用所结合的抗原肽。结果显示,制备的重组pHLA复合物可被HLA-Ⅰ分子构象特异性抗体W6/32识别,这说明重组HLA-Ⅰ类分子折叠构象正确,可鉴定为pHLA复合物;而超滤-HPLC法也可检测到pHLA复合物中含有抗原肽VYF,因此将超滤-HPLC法用于检测pHLA复合物的方法可行。与Western blotting法相比,超滤-HPLC法定量检测抗原肽浓度范围为0–9μg/mL,可根据复合物中结合的抗原肽量来优化不同结合条件,以提高HLA-Ⅰ类分子折叠效率并促进HLA-Ⅰ类分子结合抗原肽,还可根据pHLA复合物结合的抗原肽含量计算复性体系中形成pHLA复合物的制备率。因此文中所建立的超滤-HPLC法可用于pHLA复合物制备过程的质量控制,在T细胞特异性免疫研究、人工抗原呈递细胞以及特异性四聚体探针应用开发方面都具有优势。     

CTP-BCR-ABL抗原肽负载树突状细胞体外致敏T淋巴细胞靶向杀伤CML细胞

BCR-ABL为慢性髓细胞白血病特异胞质抗原,为良好的免疫治疗靶标。该研究选择BCR-ABL融合位点的两段抗原肽SSKALQRPV(SS)、GFKQSSKAL(GF)为靶点,与胞质转导肽融合表达,负载小鼠骨髓源性树突状细胞。在胞质转导肽介导下,SS、GF短肽进入树突状细胞并定位于内质网,具备了被树突状细胞识别为内源性抗原并以MHC I类分子递呈的条件。在体外培养中,用致敏的树突状细胞刺激脾脏CD8⁺T淋巴细胞,获得针对CML的细胞毒性T淋巴细胞,同时检测该细胞毒性T淋巴细胞体外抗CML的效应。结果证实,胞质转导肽介导的GF抗原短肽负载的树突状细胞能够诱导CD8⁺T淋巴细胞增殖活化并产生针对CML的细胞毒性杀伤效应。因此,GF抗原肽有望作为CML免疫治疗的靶点。该研究为鉴定出靶向CML细胞的T淋巴细胞表面的特异TCR序列准备了条件,进而为后续制备靶向CML的TCR-T细胞奠定了基础。     

B细胞免疫球蛋白与T细胞抗原受体基因的种系结构及其体细胞重排

免疫现象的第一步是免疫活性细胞对抗原的识 别。脊椎动物和人体有两类免疫活性细胞与抗原发生 特异性结合反应：B淋巴细胞表面的抗原受体与可溶 性抗原反应,T淋巴细胞表面的抗原受体与细胞表面 抗原反应。这些受体分子的基本结构单位是类似的异 型二聚体（heterodimer) ; B细胞抗原受体（B cell rece ptor, BCR）由轻链（L）和重链(H)构成,T细胞抗原 受体（T cell receptor, TCR）由,链和0链构成。抗原 分子多种多样。一个抗原分子还往往会有一个以上的 表位（e pi tope）或称抗原决定基（antigenic determinant) 均应有与它互补的对位（paratope）即抗原受体可与它 发生特异性结合反应。一个脊推动物或人体的B细胞 和T细胞必需而且事实上具备极为丰富的抗原受体贮 备库。在抗原刺激下,带有特异性抗原受体的B细胞 或T细胞发生克隆扩增（clonal multiplication),每个克 险只具有一种抗原结合特异性。这里有两个矛盾。一 个是淋巴细胞基因组内基因有限,与为如此众多受体 蛋白质分子编码需要大量遗传信息之间的矛盾;另一 个是淋巴细胞基因组的全能性与一个成熟淋巴细胞只 表现一种抗原受体特异性之间的矛盾。探究这些矛盾 的奥秘是近三十年来免疫遗传学中一个吸引人而又使 人烦恼的课题。     

自身肽结合于HLA-A2分子上能够在体外诱导抗原肽特异性的同种T细胞

在同种反应性T细胞(同种T细胞)识别的配体中, 抗原肽的作用是免疫学长期争论的问题, 即同种T细胞识别是否具有抗原肽特异性. 为了证实通过长期混合淋巴细胞培养(LTMLC)方法能够诱生抗原肽/MHC复合物(pMHC)特异性的同种T细胞, 本研究利用仅表达HLA-A2, TAP缺陷的T2细胞, 将酪氨酸激酶来源的自身抗原肽(Tyr_369-377)和EB病毒来源的病毒抗原肽(LMP2A_426-434)分别加载到T2细胞上, 使T2细胞提呈单一的T细胞抗原识别表位, 并且选择4个HLA-A2阳性(HLA-A2+ve)与4个HLA-A2阴性(HLA-A2-ve)个体的PBL样本, 与加载上述抗原肽的T2细胞混合培养. 在此实验系统中, HLA-A2+ve PBL与加载病毒抗原肽的T2细胞(T2/LMP)混合培养代表T细胞对普通抗原的反应, 而HLA-A2-ve PBL与加载自身抗原肽的T2细胞(T2/Tyr)混合培养则为T细胞对同种抗原的反应. 利用特异性pMHC四聚体染色与特异性细胞毒试验检测LTMLC诱生CTL的特异性, 其中利用HIV抗原肽(Gag_77-85)作为对照. 结果显示: (ⅰ) T2/LMP与HLA-A2+ve个体的PBL混合培养产生CTL(CTL-T2/LMP), CTL-T2/LMP对T2/LMP的杀伤显著高于对照T2/HIV的杀伤(26.52%±3.72% vs 7.01%±0.87%, P<0.001); LMP四聚体对CTL-T2/LMP染色的阳性细胞数显著高于对照HIV四聚体 (0.98%±0.33% vs 0.05%±0.01%, P=0.0014); (ⅱ) 加载自身抗原肽的T2细胞(T2/Tyr)可诱导HLA-A2-ve个体的PBL产生CTL(CTL-T2/Tyr), CTL-T2/Tyr对T2/Tyr的杀伤显著高于对T2/HIV的杀伤(28.07%±2.58% vs 6.87±1.01%, P<0.001); Tyr四聚体对CTL-T2/Tyr染色的阳性细胞数显著高于HIV四聚体(0.88%±0.3% vs 0.06±0.03%, P=0.0018). 结果说明: 结合于自身MHC分子上的病毒抗原肽与结合于同种MHC分子上的自身抗原肽都能诱导产生抗原肽特异性的CTL; 在LTMLC诱生的同种CTL中, 有相当数量的CTL具有pMHC特异性, 这些同种CTL的识别机制与普通抗原反应性CTL一样, 识别的对象也是特异性的pMHC. 支持了同种抗原的pMHC种类繁多造成同种T细胞反应强度极高的假说. 利用LTMLC诱生抗原肽特异性同种T细胞方法对于T细胞过继治疗具有潜在的应用价值.     

自噬作用引起自身耐受

一个对自身组织耐受且功能完整的T细胞库的建立离不开对胸腺上皮细胞（thymic epithelial cells,TECs）提呈的主要组织相容性复合体Ⅱ（major histocompatibility complex class II,MHC Ⅱ）-自身抗原肽表位复合物的识别过程。已知在骨髓造血系统的抗原提呈细胞产生MHCⅡ-自身抗原肽复合物主要是通过细胞的内吞作用。TECs是非造血细胞中唯一能够持续表达MHCⅡ的细胞,属于专职的抗原提呈细胞（antigenpresenting cell,APC）。     

嵌合抗原受体T细胞治疗血液肿瘤的研究进展

嵌合抗原受体T细胞免疫疗法(chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy,CAR-T)是近年来迅速发展的肿瘤过继免疫治疗方法,其胞外段抗体以非主要组织相容性复合物(major histocompatibility complex,MHC)方式与相应的肿瘤相关抗原结合识别后,使T细胞活化而发挥抗肿瘤效应。CAR-T在血液疾病治疗中取得较好的效果,现就CAR的结构、CAR-T治疗的靶点、出现的不良反应及采取的相应策略等作一概述。     

T细胞受体(TCR)信号传递的调控及其功能

T细胞受体介导的T细胞活化在胸腺T细胞发育、T细胞亚群分化以及效应T细胞功能发挥过程中均起着至关重要的作用。TCR能特异性识别抗原提呈细胞表面MHC提呈的抗原肽(peptide),并将胞外识别转化成可向细胞内部传递的信号,通过诱导TCR邻近酪氨酸激酶活化,促进信号传递复合物组装,活化下游MAPK、PKC以及钙离子等信号途径,最终活化相应的转录因子,调控效应蛋白分子的表达,完成T细胞的活化。TCR信号传递过程受到不同类型调控分子的调控,这些具有调控功能的分子形成了一个复杂的调控网络来精细调控TCR信号的起始、强度及终止。     

MHCI类分子四聚体技术的应用研究进展

主要组织相容性复合体(major histocompatibility complex,MHC)I类分子四聚体(tetramer)技术可直接对抗原特异性细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(cytotoxic T lymphocytes,CTL)进行标记,以检测能够识别特定抗原肽-MHC I的CTL,用于临床检测、疾病诊断及相关科学研究。综述了MHC I四聚体技术应用的最新研究进展,为开展四聚体的相关研究提供新的参考。     

The specific T-cell response to antigenic peptides is influenced by bystander peptides

T lymphocytes recognize antigens in the form of peptides presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on the cell surface. Only a small proportion of MHC class I and class II molecules are loaded with foreign antigenic peptides; the vast majority are loaded with thousands of different self peptides. It was suggested that MHC molecules presenting self peptides may serve either to decrease (antagonistic effect) or increase (synergistic effect) the T cell response to a specific antigen. Here, we present our finding that transfected mouse fibroblasts presenting a single antigenic peptide covalently bound to a class II MHC molecule stimulated specific mouse T cell hybridoma cells to an interleukin-2 response less efficiently than fibroblasts presenting a similar amount of antigenic peptide in the presence of class II molecules loaded with heterogenous bystander peptides.     

Presentation of antigenic peptides by MHC class I molecules

The basis for the immune response against intracellular pathogens is the recognition by cytotoxic T lymphocytes of antigenic peptides derived from cytosolic proteins, which are presented on the cell surface by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. The understanding of MHC class I-restricted peptide presentation has recently improved dramatically with the elucidation of the structural basis for the specificity of peptide binding to MHC class I molecules and the identification of proteins encoded in the class II region of the MHC that are putatively involved in the production of peptides and their transport into the endoplasmic reticulum, where they assemble with class I molecules.     

MAPPP: MHC class I antigenic peptide processing prediction

MAPPP is a bioinformatics tool for the prediction of potential antigenic epitopes presented on the cell surface by major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) molecules to CD8 positive T lymphocytes. It combines existing predictions for proteasomal cleavage with peptide anchoring to MHC I molecules.     

MHC Class I/peptide interactions: Binding specificity and kinetics

Recent developments in the preparation of soluble analogues of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class l molecules as well as in the applications of real time biosensor technology have permitted the direct analysis of the binding of MHC class l molecules to antigenic peptides. Using synthetic peptide analogues with cysteine substitutions at appropriate positions, peptides can be immobilized on a dextran-modified gold biosensor surface with a specific spatial orientation. A full set of such substituted peptides (known as ‘pepsicles’, as they are peptides on a stick) representing antigenic or self peptides can be used in the functional mapping of the MHC class l peptide binding site. Scans of sets of peptide analogues reveal that some amino acid side chains of the peptide are critical to stable binding to the MHC molecule, while others are not. This is consistent with functional experiments using substituted peptides and three-dimensional molecular models of MHC/peptide complexes. Details analysis of the kinetic dissociation rates (k_d) of the MHC molecules from the specifically coupled solid phase peptides revels that the stability of the complex is a function of the particular peptide, its coupling position, and the MHC molecule. Measured k_d values for antigenic peptide/class I interactions at 25°C are in the range of ca 10^?4–10^?6/s. Biosensor methodology for the analysis of the binding of MHC class I molecules to solid-phase peptides using real time surface plasmon resonance offers a rational approach to the general analysis of protein/peptide interactions.     

HIV envelope protein inhibits MHC class I presentation of a cytomegalovirus protective epitope

CTL recognize peptides that derive from viral protein Ags by proteolytic processing and are presented by MHC class I molecules. In this study we tested whether coexpression of viral Ags in the same cell leads to competition between them. To this end, two L(d)-restricted epitopes derived from HIV-1 envelope gp160 (ENV) and from CMV pp89 phosphoprotein were coexpressed. HIV ENV strain IIIB, but not MN variant, impaired recognition by specific CTL of CMV pp89 epitope 9pp89. Susceptibility to inhibition after ENV coexpression was inversely related to the amount of antigenic 9pp89 peptide processed from different antigenic constructs. In line with it, competition decreased the yield of naturally processed antigenic 9pp89 peptide bound to MHC class I molecules in coinfected cells. Also, point mutants of the presenting MHC class I molecule differed in their competition pattern. Collectively, the data imply that competition operates at the step of MHC-peptide complex assembly or stabilization. We conclude that, although not the rule, in certain combinations there is interference between different Ags expressed in the same cell and presented by the same MHC class I allele. These studies have implications for vaccine development and for understanding immunodominance.     

Unbiased identification of target antigens of CD8+ T cells with combinatorial libraries coding for short peptides

Cytotoxic CD8(+) T cells recognize the antigenic peptides presented by class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. These T cells have key roles in infectious diseases, autoimmunity and tumor immunology, but there is currently no unbiased method for the reliable identification of their target antigens. This is because of the low affinities of antigen-specific T cell receptors (TCR) to their target MHC-peptide complexes, the polyspecificity of these TCRs and the requirement that these TCRs recognize protein antigens that have been processed by antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Here we describe a technology for the unbiased identification of the antigenic peptides presented by MHC class I molecules. The technology uses plasmid-encoded combinatorial peptide libraries and a single-cell detection system. We validated this approach using a well-characterized influenza-virus–specific TCR, MHC and peptide combination. Single APCs carrying antigenic peptides can be detected among several million APCs that carry irrelevant peptides. The identified peptide sequences showed a converging pattern of mimotopes that revealed the parent influenza antigen. This technique should be generally applicable to the identification of disease-relevant T cell antigens.     

MHC class I bound to an immunodominant Theileria parva epitope demonstrates unconventional presentation to T cell receptors

T cell receptor (TCR) recognition of peptide-MHC class I (pMHC) complexes is a crucial event in the adaptive immune response to pathogens. Peptide epitopes often display a strong dominance hierarchy, resulting in focusing of the response on a limited number of the most dominant epitopes. Such T cell responses may be additionally restricted by particular MHC alleles in preference to others. We have studied this poorly understood phenomenon using Theileria parva, a protozoan parasite that causes an often fatal lymphoproliferative disease in cattle. Despite its antigenic complexity, CD8+ T cell responses induced by infection with the parasite show profound immunodominance, as exemplified by the Tp1(214-224) epitope presented by the common and functionally important MHC class I allele N*01301. We present a high-resolution crystal structure of this pMHC complex, demonstrating that the peptide is presented in a distinctive raised conformation. Functional studies using CD8+ T cell clones show that this impacts significantly on TCR recognition. The unconventional structure is generated by a hydrophobic ridge within the MHC peptide binding groove, found in a set of cattle MHC alleles. Extremely rare in all other species, this feature is seen in a small group of mouse MHC class I molecules. The data generated in this analysis contribute to our understanding of the structural basis for T cell-dependent immune responses, providing insight into what determines a highly immunogenic p-MHC complex, and hence can be of value in prediction of antigenic epitopes and vaccine design.     

Use of selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry for the detection of specific MHC class I peptide antigens on A3 supertype family members

The development of peptide-based vaccines that are useful in the therapeutic treatment of melanoma and other cancers ultimately requires the identification of a sufficient number of antigenic peptides so that most individuals, regardless of their major histocompatibility complex (MHC)–encoded class I molecule phenotype, can develop a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response against one or more peptide components of the vaccine. While it is relatively easy to identify antigenic peptides that are presented by the most prevalent MHC class I molecules in the population, it is problematic to identify antigenic peptides that are presented by MHC class I molecules that have less frequent expression in the population. One manner in which this problem can be overcome is by taking advantage of known MHC class I supertypes, which are groupings of MHC class I molecules that bind peptides sharing a common motif. We have developed a mass spectrometric approach which can be used to determine if an antigenic peptide is naturally processed and presented by any given MHC class I molecule. This approach has been applied to the A3 supertype, and the results demonstrate that some, but not all, A3 supertype family–associated peptides can associate with all A3 supertype family members. The approach also demonstrates the shared nature of several newly identified peptide antigens. The use of this technology negates the need to test peptides for their ability to stimulate CTL responses in those cases where the peptide is not naturally processed and bound to the target MHC class I molecule of interest, thus allowing resources to be focused on the most promising vaccine candidates.     

Disulfide bond engineering to trap peptides in the MHC class I binding groove

Immunodominant peptides in CD8 T cell responses to pathogens and tumors are not always tight binders to MHC class I molecules. Furthermore, antigenic peptides that bind weakly to the MHC can be problematic when designing vaccines to elicit CD8 T cells in vivo or for the production of MHC multimers for enumerating pathogen-specific T cells in vitro. Thus, to enhance peptide binding to MHC class I, we have engineered a disulfide bond to trap antigenic peptides into the binding groove of murine MHC class I molecules expressed as single-chain trimers or SCTs. These SCTs with disulfide traps, termed dtSCTs, oxidized properly in the endoplasmic reticulum, transited to the cell surface, and were recognized by T cells. Introducing a disulfide trap created remarkably tenacious MHC/peptide complexes because the peptide moiety of the dtSCT was not displaced by high-affinity competitor peptides, even when relatively weak binding peptides were incorporated into the dtSCT. This technology promises to be useful for DNA vaccination to elicit CD8 T cells, in vivo study of CD8 T cell development, and construction of multivalent MHC/peptide reagents for the enumeration and tracking of T cells-particularly when the antigenic peptide has relatively weak affinity for the MHC.     

Calreticulin‐dependent recycling in the early secretory pathway mediates optimal peptide loading of MHC class I molecules

Calreticulin is a lectin chaperone of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In calreticulin‐deficient cells, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules travel to the cell surface in association with a sub‐optimal peptide load. Here, we show that calreticulin exits the ER to accumulate in the ER–Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) and the cis‐Golgi, together with sub‐optimally loaded class I molecules. Calreticulin that lacks its C‐terminal KDEL retrieval sequence assembles with the peptide‐loading complex but neither retrieves sub‐optimally loaded class I molecules from the cis‐Golgi to the ER, nor supports optimal peptide loading. Our study, to the best of our knowledge, demonstrates for the first time a functional role of intracellular transport in the optimal loading of MHC class I molecules with antigenic peptide.