title: Mhc-guided processing: binding of large antigen fragments.
abstract: Ever since the emergence of models for the processing and presentation of antigenic determinants by MHC class II molecules, the main view has been that proteins are unfolded, enzymatically cleaved into peptide lengths of about 12-25 amino acids and then loaded onto MHC class II molecules. There is, however, an alternative model stating that partially intact unfolding antigens are first bound by MHC class II molecules and then trimmed to fragments of a smaller size while remaining bound to the MHC class II molecule. In this analysis, we make the case that a considerable portion of the elutable peptide cargo belongs to this latter class.
authors.affiliation: Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, San Diego, California 92121, USA. esercarz@tpims.org
authors.forename: Eli E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Sercarz
authors.forename: Emanual
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maverakis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D010446:Peptide Fragments