Suppressive effect of antibody on processing of T cell epitopes.
Immunoglobulins drive efficient antigen capture by antigen presenting cells for processing and presentation on class II MHC-molecules. High affinity antibody/antigen interactions are stable at endosomal/lysosomal pH thus altering the substrate for antigen processing. We show that this can result in strong suppression of presentation of some T cell epitopes. This effect was observed when the antibody specificity was a B cell surface Ig, or formed part of an immune complex. In the latter case the presence of the suppressing antibody boosts presentation of other T cell epitopes through enhanced uptake into Fc receptor bearing cells. The influence of bound antibodies on the outcome of antigen processing may influence with T cell epitopes dominate T cell responses and may change the focus of the response with time.
Watts
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Department of Biochemistry, University of Dundee, United Kingdom.
Lanzavecchia
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A
D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D002455:Cell Division; D002999:Clone Cells; D000939:Epitopes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D000906:Antibodies; D000939:Epitopes