The effect of endogenous altered peptide ligands on peripheral T-cell responses.
Numerous studies have shown that a T cell can productively interact through its TCR with less-than-optimal ligands resulting in partial T-cell activation. These ligands, that we called 'altered peptide ligands' (APLs), can act as partial agonists, antagonists or weak agonists for the T cells. Here we discuss the self-antigen system that we used to provide evidence that endogenous APLs exist in vivo and affect T-cell development. We also report the ability of endogenous APLs to induce partial T-cell activation of peripheral T cells, and describe in which circumstances this could occur in vivo.
Vidal
K
K
Center for Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63119, USA.
Allen
P M
PM
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D008024:Ligands; D010455:Peptides