Abstract
The mouse H13 minor histocompatibility (H) Ag, originally detected as a barrier to allograft transplants, is remarkable in that rejection is a consequence of an extremely subtle interchange, P4Val/Ile, in a nonamer H2-Db-bound peptide. Moreover, H13 peptides lack the canonical P5Asn central anchor residue normally considered important for forming a peptide/MHC complex. To understand how these noncanonical peptide pMHC complexes form physiologically active TCR ligands, crystal structures of allelic H13 pDb complexes and a P5Asn anchored pDb analog were solved to high resolution. The structures show that the basis of TCRs to distinguish self from nonself H13 peptides is their ability to distinguish a single solvent-exposed methyl group. In addition, the structures demonstrate that there is no need for H13 peptides to derive any stabilization from interactions within the central C pocket to generate fully functional pMHC complexes. These results provide a structural explanation for a classical non-MHC-encoded H Ag, and they call into question the requirement for contact between anchor residues and the major MHC binding pockets in vaccine design.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 283-289 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of Immunology |
Volume | 168 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2002 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Immunology