title: High- and low-potency ligands with similar affinities for the TCR: the importance of kinetics in TCR signaling.
abstract: We have examined binding characteristics for a single TCR interacting with five of its different peptide/MHC ligands using surface plasmon resonance. We find that very small structural changes produce ligands with similar equilibrium binding affinities (K(D)) for the TCR, but vastly different potencies for T cell activation. Ligands with similar K(D)s induce similar amounts of total phospho-zeta but distinct patterns of zeta phosphorylation. Lower potency ligands induce only incomplete phosphorylation of TCR zeta and generally have faster off-rates. Therefore, the potency of TCR ligands is primarily determined by the half-life of the TCR-ligand complex and the consequent ability to induce complete phosphorylation of zeta.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Center for Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Kersh
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Kersh
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Fremont
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008024:Ligands; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011485:Protein Binding; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; C024138:I-E-antigen; D008024:Ligands; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; C054979:antigen T cell receptor, zeta chain; C079201:hemoglobin (64-76)