title: Immunology by numbers: quantitation of antigen presentation completes the quantitative milieu of systems immunology!
abstract: We review approaches to quantitate antigen presentation using a variety of biological and biochemical readouts and highlight the emerging role of mass spectrometry (MS) in defining and quantifying MHC-bound peptides presented at the cell surface. The combination of high mass accuracy in the determination of the molecular weight of the intact peptide of interest and its signature pattern of fragmentation during tandem MS provide an unambiguous and definitive identification. This is in contrast to the potential receptor cross-reactivity towards closely related peptides and variable dose responsiveness seen in biological readouts. In addition, we gaze into the not too distant future where big data approaches in MS can be accommodated to quantify whole immunopeptidomes both in vitro and in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Infection and Immunity Program & Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia. Electronic address: Anthony.Purcell@Monash.edu.
authors.forename: Anthony W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Purcell
authors.affiliation: Infection and Immunity Program & Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Nathan P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Croft
authors.affiliation: The John Curtin School of Medical Research, ANU College of Medicine, Biology & Environment, Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia. Electronic address: david.tscharke@anu.edu.au.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Tscharke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D000941:Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D002469:Cell Separation; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D049490:Systems Biology
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D010455:Peptides