The TCRs expressed on T lymphocytes recognize foreign peptides bound to MHC molecules. This reactivity is the basis of specific immune response to the foreign Ag. How such specificities are generated in the thymus is still being debated. Signals generated through TCR upon interaction with self MHC-peptide complexes are critical for maturation of the CD4+ helper and CD8+ cytotoxic subsets. We ha...

The general principle for tumor cells to escape from immune surveillance is to prevent tumor antigens from being recognized by the immune system. Many methods have been developed to increase the immunogenecity of the tumor cells. The most efficient methods are able to force tumor cells to present their own tumor antigens to the immune system. Stimulating Th cells by converting tumor cells into ...

T cells recognize proteolytic fragments of antigens that are presented to them on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. MHC class I molecules present primarily products of proteasomal proteolysis to CD8(+) T cells, while MHC class II molecules display mainly degradation products of lysosomes for stimulation of CD4(+) T cells. Macroautophagy delivers intracellular proteins to lysosom...

To survive organisms must defend themselves against pathogens. Classical Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes play a key role in pathogen defense by encoding molecules involved recognition. MHC gene diversity influences the variety of pathogens individuals can recognize and respond to has consequently been popular genetic marker for disease resistance ecology evolution. However, is pred...

Some MHC class II genes provide dominant resistance to certain autoimmune diseases via mechanisms that remain unclear. We have shown that thymocytes bearing a highly diabetogenic, I-Ag7-restricted beta-cell-reactive TCR (4.1-TCR) undergo negative selection in diabetes-resistant H-2g7/x mice by engaging several different antidiabetogenic MHC class II molecules on thymic (but not peripheral) hemo...

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules are ligands for CD4(+) T cells and are critical for initiating the adaptive immune response. This review is focused on what is currently known about MHC class II organization at the plasma membrane of antigen presenting cells and how this affects antigen presentation to T cells. The organization and diffusion of class II molecules have b...

The rate of constitutive myosin synthesis was measured in cultures of replicating embryonic chicken skin fibroblasts by pulse labeling with [3H]leucine. These cells synthesized the 200,000-dalton heavy chain of myosin (MHC) at a rate of 3.2 • 103 molecules/cell/min. Additionally, an independent estimate of the MHC synthesis rate needed to maintain a constant level of constitutive MHC/cell was c...

Major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) proteins protect the host from intracellular pathogens and cellular abnormalities through the binding of peptide fragments derived primarily from intracellular proteins. These peptide-MHC complexes are displayed at the cell surface for inspection by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Here we reveal how MHC I molecules achieve this feat in the face of numer...

The lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3), selectively transcribed in human activated T and NK cells, encodes a ligand for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules. Like CD4, LAG-3 ectodomain is composed of four Ig-like domains (D1-D4). Nothing is known about the LAG-3 regions or residues required to form a stable MHC class II binding site. In contrast to CD4, soluble LAG-3 mole...