Premium
Peptide binding and antigen presentation by class II histocompatibility glycoproteins
Author(s) -
Jensen Peter E.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
peptide science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.556
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1097-0282
pISSN - 0006-3525
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0282(1997)43:4<303::aid-bip4>3.0.co;2-z
Subject(s) - chemistry , glycoprotein , peptide , antigen , major histocompatibility complex , histocompatibility , antigen presentation , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , human leukocyte antigen , gene , cytotoxic t cell , in vitro , biology
Abstract The immune system has evolved complex mechanisms for the recognition and elimination of pathogens. CD4+ helper T lymphocytes play a central role in orchestrating immune responses and their activation is carefully regulated. These cells selectively recognize short peptide antigens stably associated with membrane‐bound class II histocompatibility glycoproteins that are selectively expressed in specialized antigen presenting cells. The class II—peptide complexes are generated through a series of events that occur in membrane‐bound compartments within antigen presenting cells that, collectively, have become known as the class II antigen processing pathway. In the present paper, our current understanding of this pathway is reviewed with emphasis on mechanisms that regulate peptide binding by class II histocompatibility molecules. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biopoly 43 : 303–322, 1997