| MOLECULAR MIMICRY IN T-CELL-MEDIATED AUTOIMMUNITY - VIRAL PEPTIDES ACTIVATE HUMAN T-CELL CLONES SPECIFIC FOR MYELIN BASIC-PROTEIN |
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| Author(s): WUCHERPFENNIG KW, STROMINGER JL |
| Source: CELL Volume: 80 Issue: 5 Pages: 695-705 Published: MAR 10 1995 |
| Times Cited: 906 References: 49 |
| Abstract: Structural similarity between viral T cell epitopes and self-peptides could lead to the induction of an autoaggressive T cell response. Based on the structural requirements for both MHC class II binding and TCR recognition of an immunodominant myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide, criteria for a data base search were developed in which the degeneracy of amino acid side chains required for MHC class II binding and the conservation of those required for T cell activation were considered. A panel of 129 peptides that matched the molecular mimicry motif was tested on seven MBP-specific T cell clones from multiple sclerosis patients. Seven viral and one bacterial peptide efficiently activated three of these clones. Only one peptide could have been identified as a molecular mimic by sequence alignment. The observation that a single T cell receptor can recognize quite distinct but structurally related peptides from multiple pathogens has important implications for understanding the pathogenesis of autoimmunity. |
| Document Type: Article |
| Language: English |
| Reprint Address: WUCHERPFENNIG, KW (reprint author), HARVARD UNIV, DEPT MOLEC & CELLULAR BIOL, CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138 USA |
| Publisher: CELL PRESS, 50 CHURCH ST CIRCULATION DEPT, CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138 |
| Subject Category: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Cell Biology |
| IDS Number: QM399 |
| ISSN: 0092-8674 |