title: TCR-Mediated internalization of peptide-MHC complexes acquired by T cells.
abstract: Peptide-major histocompatibility complex protein complexes (pMHCs) on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are central to T cell activation. Within minutes of peptide-specific T cells interacting with APCs, pMHCs on APCs formed clusters at the site of T cell contact. Thereafter, these clusters were acquired by T cells and internalized through T cell receptor-mediated endocytosis. During this process, T cells became sensitive to peptide-specific lysis by neighboring T cells (fratricide). This form of immunoregulation could explain the "exhaustion" of T cell responses that is induced by high viral loads and may serve to down-regulate immune responses.
authors.affiliation: R. W. Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute, 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sepulveda
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sprent
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004330:Drosophila; D004705:Endocytosis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D010455:Peptides; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins