Heterogeneity among human T cell clones recognizing an HLA-DR4,Dw4-restricted epitope from the 18-kDa antigen of Mycobacterium leprae defined by synthetic peptides.
Synthetic peptides have been used to exactly define a T cell epitope region from the immunogenic 18-kDa protein of Mycobacterium leprae. Four M. leprae reactive CD4+ T cell clones, isolated from two healthy individuals vaccinated with killed M. leprae, recognized a determinant initially defined by the peptide (38-50). However, fine mapping of the minimal sequence required for T cell recognition revealed heterogeneity among the T cell clones with regard to the N- and carboxyl-terminal boundaries of the epitopes recognized. MHC restriction analysis showed that the immunogenic peptides were presented to the T cells in an HLA-DR4,Dw4-restricted manner in all cases. The results suggest that a polyclonal T cell response representing different fine specificities is directed toward a possible immunodominant epitope from the M. leprae 18-kDa Ag in individuals carrying this MHC haplotype.
Laboratory for Immunology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Montebello, Oslo.
F
F
Oftung
T M
TM
Shinnick
A S
AS
Mustafa
K E
KE
Lundin
T
T
Godal
A H
AH
Nerland
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D002999:Clone Cells; D000939:Epitopes; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000939:Epitopes; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen; D010455:Peptides