title: Positive-selection-inducing self-peptides displayed by cortical thymic epithelial cells.
abstract: A repertoire of antigen recognition specificities in mature T cell pool is formed by the selection during T cell development in the thymus. Positive selection is an essential process for the development of functionally competent T cells and is dependent on the interaction between T cell antigen receptors (TCRs) that newly generated thymocytes express and self-peptide-associated major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) molecules that cortical thymic epithelial cells (cTECs) express. Characterization of positive-selection-inducing peptides has revealed that the low-affinity TCR engagement by the positive-selection-inducing pMHC complexes initiates intracellular signals that induce the survival of immature thymocytes and their differentiation into mature T cells. Recent studies suggest unique mechanisms of antigen processing in cTECs for the production of positively selecting MHC-bound self-peptides.
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute for Genome Research, University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kensuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takada
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute for Genome Research, University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan. Electronic address: takahama@genome.tokushima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yousuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology*; D001343:Autophagy; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000276:immunology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; D010455:Peptides; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
keywords: Autophagy; Cathepsin L; Cortical thymic epithelial cell; Peptide-MHC complex; Positive selection; T cell; T cell repertoire; TCR; TCR affinity; Thymoproteasome; Thymus; Thymus-specific serine protease; β5t