title: Epitope repertoire of human CD4+ T cells on tetanus toxin: identification of immunodominant sequence segments.
abstract: Sequence regions of tetanus toxin-forming CD4+ cell epitopes in 8 HLA-disparate subjects were identified. Overlapping synthetic peptides corresponding to the complete tetanus toxin sequence were used to test, in a proliferation assay, unselected blood CD4+ cells or CD4+ cell lines propagated by stimulation with tetanus toxoid. The CD4+ cell lines recognized most peptides recognized by the blood CD4+ cells and they recognized additional peptides. Their responses were stronger than those of unselected blood CD4+ cells. Two peptides were recognized by all subjects: one largely overlapped a tetanus toxin sequence region previously identified as a "universal" T cell epitope. Thirteen other peptides elicited a CD4+ cell response in 6 or 7 of the 8 subjects, and another 10 elicited responses in 5 subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108, USA.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Diethelm-Okita
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Okita
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Conti-Fine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D013744:Tetanus Toxin / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D010455:Peptides; D013744:Tetanus Toxin