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Induction of helper and suppressor T cells by nonoverlapping determinants on the large protein antigen, β‐galactosidase
Author(s) -
Krzych Urszula,
Fowler Audree V.,
Miller Alexander,
Sercarz Eli E.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2.2.2963778
Subject(s) - cyanogen bromide , antigen , microbiology and biotechnology , peptide , suppressor , chemistry , biology , antigen presentation , t cell , gene , biochemistry , immune system , peptide sequence , immunology
The fine specificity of the T cell repertoire directed against T helper (Th)‐inducing and T suppressor (Ts)‐inducing determinants was examined with cyanogen bromide and tryptic peptides of Escherichia coli β‐galactosidase (GZ), a large tetrameric protein (monomer molecular weight = 116 kDa). Immunization with cyanogen bromide fragment 2 [CB‐2, amino acids (a.a.) 3‐92] induced both specific Th and Ts cells. Study of the induction of these functionally opposite T cell subpopulations with tryptic peptides of CB‐2 indicated that Th and Ts were activated by separate, nonoverlapping determinants. Th‐inducing activity resided in a nonapeptide, T6 (a.a. 44‐52), whereas T4 (a.a. 27‐37) induced Ts cells. The presence of distinct helper and suppressor determinants suggests that the specificity repertoire in these T cell sub‐populations may differ, perhaps owing to the expression of antigen‐recognizing receptors that are coded by unique gene families. Alternatively, antigen presentation structures may be physicochemically quite different, and bind to distinct parts of the peptide antigen.— K rzych , U.; F owler , A. V.; M iller , A.; S ercarz , E. E. Induction of helper and suppressor T cells by nonoverlapping determinants on the large protein antigen, β‐galactosidase. FASEB J. 2: 141‐145; 1988.