title: Peptide-induced modulation of target cell sensitivity to natural killing.
abstract: We have previously shown that the capacity of class I molecules to confer resistance to NK in transfected target cells maps to the Ag-binding site (ABS) of the HLA class I structure. Here we examine the effect of peptide (reagents specific for the ABS) pretreatment on the NK sensitivity of class I+ target cells. Synthetic peptides (10-17 amino acids in length) were used to pretreat C1R target cells expressing either no serologically detectable HLA-A, B class I molecules, or C1R transfectants expressing individual HLA-A or -B locus class I molecules. In each case in which the class I allele had previously been shown to directly bind a given peptide, peptide-pulsing of target cells resulted in increased sensitivity to NK-mediated conjugation and cytolysis. The NK susceptibility of C1R target cells expressing no HLA-A, B class I molecules or the nonprotective HLA-A2.1 or HLA-A2M70 mutant class I molecules was unaffected by pretreatment with HLA-A2-binding peptides. These results support the intimate involvement of the HLA class I ABS and potentially ABS-bound peptides in determining target cell sensitivity to NK. Furthermore, these findings form the basis of an effective screening procedure for discerning peptide class I allele-specific interactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA 15261.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Storkus
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Salter
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cresswell
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Dawson
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002460:Cell Line; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D010455:Peptides