title: T-cell receptor binding affinities and kinetics: impact on T-cell activity and specificity.
abstract: The interaction between the T-cell receptor (TCR) and its peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pepMHC) ligand plays a critical role in determining the activity and specificity of the T cell. The binding properties associated with these interactions have now been studied in many systems, providing a framework for a mechanistic understanding of the initial events that govern T-cell function. There have been various other reviews that have described the structural and biochemical features of TCR : pepMHC interactions. Here we provide an overview of four areas that directly impact our understanding of T-cell function, as viewed from the perspective of the TCR : pepMHC interaction: (1) relationships between T-cell activity and TCR : pepMHC binding parameters, (2) TCR affinity, avidity and clustering, (3) influence of coreceptors on pepMHC binding by TCRs and T-cell activity, and (4) impact of TCR binding affinity on antigenic peptide specificity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: Adam S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Chervin
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kranz
mesh_terms: D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000276:immunology; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000276:immunology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D008024:Ligands; D010455:Peptides; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell