title: A hierarchy of T cell receptor motifs determines responsiveness to the immunodominant epitope in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis.
abstract: The predominant murine T lymphocyte population responding to Talpha146-162, the immunodominant epitope in EAMG, expresses the TCRBV 6 gene segment. However, cells expressing other TCRBV gene segments also react with this peptide. In order to more precisely characterize the Talpha146-162-specific TCR repertoire, we isolated CD4high cells from peptide-immunized mice. The majority of CD4high cells utilized an acidic TCR beta chain CDR3 motif regardless of TCRBV gene usage. Analysis of T cell clones demonstrated a fourfold higher avidity of Vbeta6+ than non-Vbeta6 cells for Talpha146-162 indicating that a hierarchy of TCR motifs determines T cell responsiveness in EAMG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. NStand@benaroyaresearch.org
authors.forename: Nathan E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Standifer
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kraig
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Infante
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D002999:Clone Cells; D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015332:Gene Rearrangement, alpha-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020720:Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta