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

Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters volume 11, pages70–79 (2006) | Download Citation

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Abstract

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.

Abbreviations

Abwt:

fibroblasts transfected with wild-type Ab class II MHC molecule

AbEp:

fibroblasts transfected with Ab molecule with linked Ep

Abwt + AbEp:

double transfectant fibroblasts

Ep:

peptide 52-68 from the Eα class II MHC chain

FACS:

fluorescein-activated cell sorter

MHC:

major histocompatibility complex

MTT:

(3-[4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-lyl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide

TCR:

T cell receptor

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Clinical Immunology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla 12, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland

    • Izabela Nowak
    •  & Piotr Kuśnierczyk

  2. Laboratory of Experimental Antitumor Therapy, Department of Experimental Oncology, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla 12, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland

    • Elżbieta Pajtasz-Piasecka

  3. Center of Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA

    • Bartosz Chmielowski
    •  & Leszek Ignatowicz

  4. Jan Długosz Paedagogical University, Cz77ęstochowa, Poland

    • Piotr Kuśnierczyk

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Correspondence to Piotr Kuśnierczyk.

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Key Words

  • Bystander peptide
  • T cell response
  • Transfectants
  • Mouse model

Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters

ISSN: 1689-1392

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