On the complexity of self (original) (raw)

Nature volume 353, pages 660–662 (1991)Cite this article

Abstract

SELF peptides bound to self major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules have been implicated both in positive1,2 and in negative3,4 selection of T cells during intrathymic development. We report here that the novel MHC-restricted monoclonal antibody Y-A_e_ (ref. 5) detects the MHC class II bound form of a major self peptide6. Y-A_e_ binds ∼12% of the relevant MHC class II molecules on self antigen presenting cells. The peptide detected by Y-A_e_ is one of several major peptides eluted from the MHC molecule6. These data suggest that self peptides presented by self MHC class II molecules at densities sufficient to signal a CD4 T cell are of very limited complexity. Furthermore, as Y-A_e_ stains antigen presenting cells that mediate negative selection but not thymic cortical epithelial cells5 that drive positive selection3, differential expression of self peptide:self MHC class II complexes may be a key feature of intrathymic selection.

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Author notes

  1. Satyajit Rath
    Present address: National Institute of Immunology, JNU Complex, Shahid Jeet Singh Road, New Delhi, 110 067, India
  2. Donal B. Murphy
    Present address: Laboratory for Immunology, D421, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York, 12201, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Section of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine and The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New Haven, Connecticut, 06510, USA
    Alexander Yu. Rudensky, Satyajit Rath, Paula Preston-Hurlburt, Donal B. Murphy & Charles A. Janeway Jr.

Authors

  1. Alexander Yu. Rudensky
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  2. Satyajit Rath
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  3. Paula Preston-Hurlburt
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  4. Donal B. Murphy
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  5. Charles A. Janeway Jr.
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Rudensky, A., Rath, S., Preston-Hurlburt, P. et al. On the complexity of self.Nature 353, 660–662 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/353660a0

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