title: A constant affinity threshold for T cell tolerance.
abstract: T cell tolerance depends on the T cell receptor's affinity for peptide/major histocompatibility complex (MHC) ligand; this critical parameter determines whether a thymocyte will be included (positive selection) or excluded (negative selection) from the T cell repertoire. A quantitative analysis of ligand binding was performed using an experimental system permitting receptor-coreceptor interactions on live cells under physiological conditions. Using three transgenic mouse strains expressing distinct class I MHC-restricted T cell receptors, we determined the affinity that defines the threshold for negative selection. The affinity threshold for self-tolerance appears to be a constant for cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, Department of Research, University Hospital, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Naeher
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hausmann
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guillaume
authors.forename: Immanuel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Luescher
authors.forename: Ed
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D000099192:CD69 Antigens