title: Autopresentation of hepatitis B virus envelope antigens by T cells.
abstract: Processing and presentation by T cells appear to be limited to antigens that can directly interact with the T-cell surface, thereby overcoming the T-cell inefficiency in antigen capture and internalization. Our study provides evidence that the hepatitis B virus (HBV) envelope proteins can also be efficiently processed and presented by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells to other T cells in a human leukocyte antigen class II-restricted fashion. This phenomenon suggests a receptor-mediated interaction between T cells and the HBV envelope and defines a system that can, we hope, be exploited for the identification of the receptor binding site within the HBV envelope and for the characterization of the putative cellular HBV receptor.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra Malattie Infettive, Università di Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pilli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Penna
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertoletti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavalli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pasetti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiaccadori
mesh_terms: D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D011991:Receptors, Virus