title: Identification of T-cell epitopes of autoantigens using recombinant proteins; studies on experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis.
abstract: In the Lewis rat, T-cell lines from animals immunized with native or denatured Torpedo nAChR recognize the Torpedo-derived recombinant protein T alpha X1 omega (alpha-2-200) but not the equivalent mouse- or chick-derived recombinant proteins X4 omega or C alpha X1 omega (alpha 6-216 and alpha 35-216, respectively). T-cell lines derived from animals immunized with T alpha X1 omega, X4 omega or C alpha X1 omega are specific for the homologous protein. This lack of cross-species reactivity suggests caution in the use of Torpedo nAChR-selected lines generated from human patients. Proteolysis and fractionation of the products by reverse-phase HPLC was effective in localization of a T-cell epitope of X4 omega, a mouse-derived recombinant protein. With Lewis rats, the major epitope of T alpha X1 omega is alpha 97-112. However, the major epitope of the mouse-derived protein, X4 omega, as determined by proteolytic digestion and fractionation of the products by reverse-phase HPLC, is alpha 14-22. This shift in T-cell epitope between closely related proteins may result from the conservation of sequence of alpha 97-112 between mammalian species.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Service, Cantonal University Hospital, Lausanne.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frutiger
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Savoy
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barkas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D000939:Epitopes; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins