title: Antigen processing: a critical factor in rational vaccine design.
abstract: T lymphocytes play a critical role in host immunity, autoimmunity, and tissue rejection. There has been tremendous progress in understanding the molecular basis of T-cell recognition of foreign and self antigens. It is now well established that the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted nature of T-cell recognition is due to the interaction of the T-cell antigen receptor with MHC class I or II molecules bearing short peptides derived from antigenic proteins. In this report, we review recent progress in understanding antigen processing, ie, the mechanism by which antigenic peptides are generated in antigen-presenting cells and delivered to the appropriate MHC molecule in the appropriate intracellular compartment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Yewdell
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bennink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D015195:Drug Design; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000276:immunology; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D014612:Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D010455:Peptides; D014612:Vaccines