The T lymphocyte response to cytochrome c--II. Molecular characterization of a pigeon cytochrome c determinant recognized by proliferating T lymphocytes of the B10.A mouse

Determinants of immunodominance for CD4 T cells

The term immunodominance was originally defined as a restricted T cell response to a short peptide sequence derived from a given protein. The question of what determines immunodominance has been a longstanding battle for the past two decades. Hundreds of papers have been written on different aspects of epitope selection during antigen processing documenting the complexity of the process. Antigen processing machinery involves several accessory molecules and chaperons coevolved with proteins of Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules that each plays its part in epitope selection. These molecules are targeted to specialized vesicular compartments that also accommodate antigen processing enzymes called cathepsins. Within the antigen processing compartments, highly regulated pH gradient and reducing conditions and enzymes necessary for denaturation of the antigens are available and function to optimize processing of antigen and selection of the fittest for transport to the cell membrane and presentation to T cells. Despite the complexity, a cell free reductionist antigen processing system was recently reported that included only few purified proteins, but was shown to process and select physiologically relevant epitopes from full length protein antigens. Due to its minimalist nature the system has been quite helpful in dissecting the factors that contribute to epitope selection during antigen processing. In this review, we would summarize and highlight models that may explain how the dominant epitope may be selected for presentation to CD4(+) helper T cells.

Phylogeny of immune recognition: fine specificity of fish immune repertoires to cytochrome C

Using the structurally defined protein antigen cytochrome C, studies were conducted in an attempt to delineate the fine specificities of channel catfish immune repertoires. We have previously reported that species variants of cytochrome C were cross-stimulatory to peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) from catfish immunized with the pigeon variant. Molecular database analyses revealed the existence of overlapping epitopes that appear to define the specificity of the immune response to a "family" of closely related antigens. To further explore these observations, studies were conducted to determine the contribution of peptide 81-104 to the immunogenicity of cytochrome C. Current data showed that peptide 81-104 and intact cytochrome C were stimulatory to PBL from fish previously immunized with the native molecule. In contrast, PBL from fish previously primed with the peptide 81-104 responded only to the immunizing peptide as well as to some, but not all, variants of the peptide 81-104. The differences in the stimulatory capacities of the peptide variants appeared to correlate with amino acid substitutions at various positions of the peptide and changes in their predicted secondary structures.

Molecular analysis of the influences of positive selection, tolerance induction, and antigen presentation on the T cell receptor repertoire

Immunization of both B10.A and B10.S(9R) mice with pigeon cytochrome c (pcc) elicits T cells capable of proliferating to pcc presented on I-E major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. The T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire used by pcc-specific T cells from these two strains is markedly different, even for T cells recognizing very similar antigen/MHC complexes. Our current studies have been directed toward explaining this differential expression between MHC congenic strains of TCR gene elements capable of recognizing similar ligands. Analysis of the TCR repertoire of pcc-specific T cells from F1[B10.A x B10.S (9R)]----parent radiation chimeras has demonstrated that much of this difference is a result of the positive selection of T cells for MHC restriction specificity. Further analysis of T cell lines from F1 mice and from radiation chimeras stimulated in vitro with pcc on both B10.A and B10.S(9R) antigen-presenting cells has provided clear-cut examples of the influence of positive selection, tolerance induction and of both in vivo and in vitro antigen presentation on the shaping of the TCR repertoire for a protein antigen. This is the first molecular analysis of how positive selection, tolerance induction, and antigen presentation can combine to mold the TCR repertoire.

An analysis of the physical properties of peptides that influence the pigeon cytochrome c specific T lymphocyte response

The ability to modify T cell responses was analyzed using synthetic peptide analogues of the T cell determinant for pigeon cytochrome c. Although the B10.A T cell proliferative response is directed to residues 95-104, residues to the amino-terminal side of this determinant influence antigen-specific T cell recognition. The proposed role of this non-determinant leader sequence has been to stabilize the core determinant in a helical conformation. Previous studies from our laboratory, however, using non-native leader sequences that were designed to examine the changes to T cell recognition invoked when the determinant was made more or less helical, amphipathic, or lipid binding in character than the native determinant. The structure of each analogue in aqueous, non-polar (TFE) and lipid environments was determined by circular dichroism. The ability of each antigen analogue to bind to phospholipid membranes and to stimulate two different pigeon cytochrome c T cell hybridomas, 2B4 and 22.D11, was also investigated. Our findings suggest that neither helicity or amphipathicity are necessary features of T cell recognition but that electrostatic interactions involving either the lipid membrane or the I-Ek molecule may influence T cell stimulation.

T cell activation by processed antigen is equally blocked by I-E and I-A-restricted immunodominant peptides

The T cell response to a soluble protein requires the processing of the native antigen by an antigen-presenting cell (APC) to a peptide containing an antigenic determinant, which is transported to and bound on the antigen-presenting cell surface, where it is subsequently recognized by the specific T cell in the context of the appropriate Ia molecule. Investigating the response of a pigeon cytochrome c-specific, I-Ek-restricted T cell hybrid, which recognizes a determinant present within a 10-amino acid C-terminal fragment of the protein, it was previously demonstrated that peptides homologous to the peptide from pigeon cytochrome c, but which were not stimulatory, blocked the T cell response to pigeon cytochrome c as processed and presented by APC. In this report the ability of a series of fourteen, 20-amino acid overlapping peptides, representing the entire length of staphylococcal nuclease (Nase), were assessed for their ability to block the response of a pigeon cytochrome c-specific T cell hybrid to antigen-pulsed presenting cells. Only three Nase peptides blocked the I-Ek-restricted pigeon cytochrome c-specific T cell response. Two of these, Nase 61-80 and Nase 91-110, function as T cell antigens in the I-Ad and I-Ab-restricted response to Nase. The third blocking peptide, Nase 101-120, has not been shown to be a T cell antigen. Two other peptides, Nase 51-70 and Nase 81-100, which are recognized by Nase-specific T cells in the context of I-Ek, have no effect on the I-Ek-restricted cytochrome c-specific T cell response. None of these peptides block the higher affinity, heteroclitic response of pigeon cytochrome c-specific T cells to tobacco hornworm moth cytochrome c. Moreover, the response of an I-Ak-restricted T cell to ovalbumin was blocked by the I-Ek-restricted cytochrome c peptides from three different species. Thus, peptides with no obvious primary amino acid sequence homology, and which are not capable of being recognized in the context of the same Ia, compete with one another for the sites on the APC necessary for presentation of processed antigen to T cells. These results suggest that there are structures on the APC surface in addition to Ia, which are necessary for effective antigen presentation following processing. One suitable candidate for such a cell surface material is the recently identified peptide-binding protein, PBP72/74 (Lakey et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1987. 84: 1659).

A new T helper cell specificity within the pigeon cytochrome c determinant 95-104

A T cell hybridoma with unusual antigen specificity has been isolated from B10.BR mice immunized with pigeon cytochrome c. Using synthetic peptide analogues of the pigeon cytochrome c T cell determinant 81-104 we have determined that this hybridoma is specific for residues within the sequence 95-104. However, the mode by which this T cell hybridoma recognizes this determinant in the context of the I-Ek molecule differs from all previously described T cell clones in that it is not stimulated by the moth cytochrome c analogue 81-103.

Identification of a peptide binding protein that plays a role in antigen presentation

The helper T-cell response to globular proteins appears, in general, to require intracellular processing of the antigen, such that a peptide fragment containing the T-cell antigenic determinant is released and transported to and held on the surface of an Ia-expressing, antigen-presenting cell. However, the molecular details underlying these phenomena are largely unknown. The means by which antigenic peptides are anchored on the antigen-presenting cell surface was investigated. A cell surface protein is identified that was isolated by its ability to bind to a 24-amino acid peptide fragment of pigeon cytochrome c, residues 81-104, containing the major antigenic determinant for B10.A mouse T cells. This peptide binding protein, purified from [35S]methionine-labeled cells, appears as two discrete bands of approximately equal to 72 and 74 kDa after NaDodSO4/PAGE. The protein can be eluted from the peptide affinity column with equivalent concentrations of either the antigenic pigeon cytochrome c peptide or the corresponding nonantigenic peptide of mouse cytochrome c. However, it does not bind to the native cytochromes c, either of pigeon or mouse, and thus the protein appears to recognize some structure available only in the free peptides. This protein plays a role in antigen presentation as evidenced by the ability of rabbit antibodies raised against it to block the activation of an antigen-specific T-cell hybrid by antigen-presenting cells and pigeon cytochrome c. Its expression is not major histocompatibility complex-restricted in that the blocking activity of the antisera can be absorbed on spleen cells from mice of different haplotypes. This peptide binding protein can be isolated from a variety of cell types, including B cells, T cells, and fibroblasts. The anchoring of processed peptides on the cell surface by such a protein may play a role in antigen presentation--facilitating the interaction of antigenic peptides with Ia and/or the T-cell receptor.

Generation of diversity in T cell receptor repertoire specific for pigeon cytochrome c

17 T cell clones and 3 T cell lines, specific for pigeon cytochrome c, were analyzed for fine specificity and rearranged T cell receptor (TCR) gene elements. Clones of similar fine specificities were grouped into one of four phenotypes, and correlations between phenotype differences and gene usage could be made. All the lines and clones rearranged a member of the V alpha 2B4 gene family to a limited number of J alpha regions. The beta chain was made up of one of three non-cross-hybridizing V beta regions, each rearranging to only one or two J beta s. The use of alternate V beta regions could be correlated with phenotype differences, which were manifested either as MHC- or MHC and antigen-specificity changes. In addition, the presence of alloreactivity, which defined a phenotype difference, could be correlated solely with the use of an alternate J alpha region. These observations were substantiated by prospective analyses of pigeon cytochrome c-specific T cell lines that were selected for alternate MHC specificity or alloreactivity and were found to express the correlated alpha and beta chain rearrangements. Previously, the TCR DNA sequences from two clones, each representing a variant of one phenotype, showed sequence differences only in the N regions of their TCR genes. Since only these two variants, using identical V alpha-J alpha and V beta-J beta gene elements, were repeatedly observed in this study, we would predict that the junctional diversity differences are selectable. In this T cell response, all the gene elements involved in the generation of diversity appear to be selected, and may therefore be important in the determination of TCR specificity. This high degree of receptor gene selection represents a fundamental difference from the diversity seen in several extensively analyzed antibody responses.

Peptides related to the antigenic determinant block T cell recognition of the native protein as processed by antigen-presenting cells

A mouse T cell hybrid specific for pigeon cytochrome c in the context of I-Ek responds by secreting interleukin 2 when co-cultured with the native antigen and the B cell lymphoma, LK-35.2, or naive splenic B cells as antigen-presenting cells (APC). Cytochromes c and their corresponding C-terminal fragments which are not capable of stimulating the TPc9.1 cells, including the autologous mouse cytochrome c, block the T cells' response to pigeon cytochrome c. In contrast, nonstimulatory N-terminal peptides of cytochrome c, which share no homology with the antigenic peptide, do not block. Blocking is observed when the nonstimulatory cytochromes c or peptides are present in culture with the live APC and nonsaturating concentrations of pigeon cytochrome c. With tobacco hornworm moth cytochrome c as antigen, a protein for which the T cell has a higher functional affinity, the response of TPc9.1 cannot be blocked by the nonstimulatory cytochromes c or by peptides, even when limiting concentrations of the tobacco hornworm moth cytochrome c are used. When paraformaldehyde-fixed APC are employed, no native cytochrome c can stimulate the T cells, including the tobacco hornworm moth protein which with the live APC is effective at 50 to 100-fold lower concentrations than pigeon cytochrome c. However, with fixed APC the T cells are stimulated by the C-terminal fragments containing residues 81-104 of the pigeon protein or residues 81-103 of the tobacco hornworm moth protein as readily and with the same relative efficiencies as the native protein, presented by live APC. The nonstimulatory peptides, but not the native cytochromes c, block T cell activation by pigeon cytochrome c pulsed-fixed APC, indicating that the nonstimulatory peptides compete with the stimulatory pigeon cytochrome c peptides produced by the APC. This competition appears to be due to nonstimulatory peptides which associate at the APC surface and not to those acting from solution because the APC which have been incubated with pigeon cytochrome c and nonstimulatory peptides and washed free of excess antigen and peptides are not stimulatory to the T cell hybrid. It was concluded that the activation of a pigeon cytochrome c-specific T cell, which recognizes a peptide fragment of the native protein on the surface of an APC, can be blocked by an excess of nonstimulatory homologous peptides when these are also associated on the surface of the APC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Correlations between T-cell specificity and the structure of the antigen receptor

The derived amino-acid sequences of the heterodimeric antigen receptors expressed by a series of murine T-cell clones are presented. A comparison of the receptor sequences indicates that several mechanisms for generating receptor diversity can influence T-cell specificity, including junctional diversity, combinatorial joining, and combinatorial chain associations.

Antibody subpopulation in antihorse cytochrome c serum

A specific antibody subpopulation(s) in antihorse cytochrome c serum was detected for peptide fragment 81-104 of cyanogen bromide (CNBr) cleaved horse cytochrome c (HCytc). This antiserum was made in the rabbit against polymeric horse cytochrome c. The presence of the peptide-specific antibody subpopulation(s) was demonstrated utilizing HCytc, CNBr-peptide 81-104 and isolated chymotrypsin-digested HCytc fragments 60-67, 83-97 and 98-104 to compete with radio-labeled peptide 81-104 and antiHCytc serum in a competitive radioimmunoassay (RIA). This antibody subpopulation(s) in antiHCytc serum was demonstrated to be specific for peptide 81-104. At the 50% inhibition level in competitive RIA, 100- and 1000-fold molar excesses of HCytc and its peptide 1-65, respectively, were required to affect an equivalent binding to that of the HCytc peptide 81-104. Competitive RIAs have been performed utilizing three different kinds of antigen to compete with HCytc peptide 81-104 and antihorse cytochrome c sera. These three kinds of antigens are: endopeptidase digests of HCytc, cytochrome c peptides 81-104 of several species and several isolated chymotryptic peptide fragments of HCytc. The results have indicated that this peptide-specific antibody subpopulations(s) in antiHCytc serum is similar to antibodies made against peptide 81-104-BSA. Regions of antigenicity have been identified at positions 92, 100, 103 and 104 with both antisera.

Correlation between the conformation of cytochrome c peptides and their stimulatory activity in a T-lymphocyte proliferation assay

It has been shown that the minimal-length peptide having full stimulatory activity for pigeon cytochrome c-primed T cells from B10.A mice is composed of residues 88-103 of the moth (or 87-104 of the pigeon) sequence. However, to date, only residues 99-103(104)have been shown to be involved in contacting the T-cell receptor or the macrophage Ia molecule. Because the x-ray structure of tuna cytochrome c, and prior calculations on many homologous cytochrome c proteins, showed that segment 88-103(104) exists in the alpha-helical conformation, we postulate that residues 88-98 are necessary for maintaining the alpha-helical conformation of the COOH-terminal pentapeptide (99-103) involved in receptor recognition. To test this hypothesis, we have examined the conformational preferences of polypeptide segments from known antigenic regions near the carboxyl terminus of cytochrome c (pigeon, moth, and fly sequences) using conformational energy calculations for peptides in a nonpolar environment. We show here that fragments consisting of residues 88-91 and 94-98 of pigeon, moth, and fly cytochrome c have a strong alpha-helical preference, despite differences in sequence at residues 88-89 (Lys-Ala in pigeon, Ala-Asn in moth, and Pro-Asn in fly). In contrast, the tripeptide 91-93 (Arg-Ala-Asp) has a strong nonhelical preference. Furthermore, the COOH-terminal peptide 99-103 exists as a statistical coil. However, addition of residues 94-98 to residues 99-103 results in a peptide that has a strong preference for alpha-helix. From these computational results, we predict (i) that fragment 94-103, existing predominantly as an alpha-helix, should exhibit stimulatory activity and (ii) that the nonhelical peptide 91-93 can be deleted from fragment 88-103 without affecting its antigenicity. Both of these predictions have been borne out by experiments in which the two peptides were synthesized and shown to stimulate a T-cell proliferative response. These results establish a strong correlation between conformation (here, alpha-helix) and biological activity and suggest that T-cell activation is sensitive to the organized backbone structure that the antigen adopts in the nonpolar environment of the macrophage membrane or in the combining site of the T-cell receptor.

Contribution of antigen-presenting cell major histocompatibility complex gene products to the specificity of antigen-induced T cell activation

Previous studies from our laboratory showed that B 10.A mice are high responders to pigeon cytochrome c fragment 81-104, whereas'B 10.A(5R) mice are low responders. In the present studies, the C-terminal cyanogen bromide cleavage fragment and homologous synthetic peptides of tobacco horn worm moth cytochrome c were shown to be immunogenic in both B10.A and B10.A(5R) mice. These strains, however, showed different patterns of cross-reactivity when immune lymph node T cells were stimulated with cytochrome c fragments from other species. To examine the two patterns of responsiveness at a clonal level, cytochrome c fragment-specific T cell hybridomas were made and found to secrete interleukin 2 in response to antigen. The patterns of cross- reactivity of these B 10.A and B 10.A(5R) clones were similar to that seen in the whole lymph node population. Surprisingly, when these clones were tested for major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted antigen recognition, they were all found to respond to antigen with both B10.A and B10.A(5R) antigen-presenting cells (APC). Furthermore, the cross-reactivity pattern appeared to be largely determined by the genotype of the APC, not the genotype of the T cell clone. That is, a given T cell clone displayed a different fine specificity when assayed with B10.A or B10.A(5R) APC. This observation indicates that the APC MHC gene product and antigen interact during the stimulation of the T cell response and that as a consequence the specificity of antigen-induced T cell activation is influenced by these MHC gene products. (During the preparation of this manuscript it has come to our attention that results similar to our own, concerning the fine specificity of cytotoxic T cell clones, have been obtained by Dr. T. R. Hunig and Dr. M. J. Bevan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA. T. R. Hunig and M. J. Bevan. 1981. Specificity of T-cell clones illustrates altered self hypothesis. Nature. 294:460.)

The major B and T cell determinant on pigeon cytochrome c in B10.a mice

The specificities of B10.A B and T cells responding to pigeon cytochrome c have been examined. Proliferating T cells recognize glutamine 100 and lysine 104 and can be stimulated in vitro by either native cytochrome c molecules or certain of their CNBr-cleavage fragments. In contrast only molecules with the native cytochrome c conformation were found to interact with B10.A antipigeon cytochrome c antibodies. Antibodies appear to recognize a determinant or determinants which overlaps with that which elicits the T cell proliferative response.