The Journal of Immunology, Vol 157, Issue 5 1827-1831, Copyright © 1996 by American Association of Immunologists

CUTTING EDGE

The responses of mature T cells are not necessarily antagonized by their positively selecting peptide

L Ignatowicz, J Kappler, DC Parker and P Marrack
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Medicine, National Jewish Center for Immunology, Denver, CO 80206, USA.

Transgenic mice have been produced in which all detectable MHC class II proteins, IAb, are bound to a single peptide. Hence, all of the CD4+ class II-restricted T cells in these animals are positively selected in the thymus by reaction with this single class II/peptide combination. It has been suggested that the peptide involved in positive selection of a particular T cell might antagonize the responses of that T cell to other peptides, a phenomenon that might serve to inhibit autoimmune reactions. To test this idea, we took advantage of the fact that T cells from the class II single-peptide mice react strongly in primary mixed lymphocyte cultures with IAb molecules from wild-type H-2b mice, i.e., loaded with a heterogeneous collection of self peptides. The responses of the T cells to other class II-bound peptides were not inhibited by high concentrations of the selecting peptide. Therefore, peptides involved in positive selection of T cells do not necessarily inhibit or antagonize the responses of mature T cells to Ag.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. L. Rubin and T. M. Hermanson Plasticity in the positive selection of T cells: affinity of the selecting antigen and IL-7 affect T cell responsiveness Int. Immunol., July 1, 2005; 17(7): 959 - 971. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Dao, J. M. Blander, and D. B. Sant'Angelo Recognition of a Specific Self-Peptide: Self-MHC Class II Complex Is Critical for Positive Selection of Thymocytes Expressing the D10 TCR J. Immunol., January 1, 2003; 170(1): 48 - 54. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. E. Berg, S. Irion, S. Kattman, M. F. Princiotta, and U. D. Staerz A Physiological Ligand of Positive Selection Is Recognized as a Weak Agonist J. Immunol., October 15, 2000; 165(8): 4209 - 4216. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Muranski, B. Chmielowski, and L. Ignatowicz Mature CD4+ T Cells Perceive a Positively Selecting Class II MHC/Peptide Complex in the Periphery J. Immunol., March 15, 2000; 164(6): 3087 - 3094. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Chmielowski, P. Muranski, P. Kisielow, and L. Ignatowicz On the role of high- and low-abundance class II MHC-peptide complexes in the thymic positive selection of CD4+ T cells Int. Immunol., January 1, 2000; 12(1): 67 - 72. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Albert Basson, U. Bommhardt, M. S. Cole, J. Y. Tso, and R. Zamoyska CD3 Ligation on Immature Thymocytes Generates Antagonist-like Signals Appropriate for CD8 Lineage Commitment, Independently of  T Cell Receptor Specificity J. Exp. Med., April 20, 1998; 187(8): 1249 - 1260. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Wang, A. Nelson, K. Kimachi, H. M. Grey, and A. G. Farr The role of peptides in thymic positive selection of class II major histocompatibility complex-restricted T cells PNAS, March 31, 1998; 95(7): 3804 - 3809. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]