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Shuffling peptides to create T‐cell epitopes: does the immune system play cards?
Author(s) -
Mannering Stuart I.,
So Michelle,
Elso Colleen M.,
Kay Thomas W. H.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1111/imcb.1015
Subject(s) - epitope , biology , major histocompatibility complex , t cell , antigen , human leukocyte antigen , computational biology , immune system , genetics
For a long time, immunologists have believed that classical CD 4 + and CD 8 + T cells recognize peptides (referred to as epitopes), derived from protein antigens presented by MHC / HLA class I or II . Over the past 10–15 years, it has become clear that epitopes recognized by CD 8 + , and more recently CD 4 + T cells, can be formed by protein splicing. Here, we review the discovery of spliced epitopes recognized by tumor‐specific human CD 8 + T cells. We discuss how these epitopes are formed and some of the unusual variants that have been reported. Now, over a decade since the first report, evidence is emerging that spliced CD 8 + T‐cell epitopes are much more common, and potentially much more important, than previously imagined. Recent work has shown that epitopes recognized by CD 4 + T cells can also be formed by protein splicing. We discuss the recent discovery of spliced CD 4 + T‐cell epitopes and their potential role as targets of autoimmune T‐cell responses. Finally, we highlight some of the new questions raised from our growing appreciation of T‐cell epitopes formed by peptide splicing.