T cell line specific for bacterial peptidoglycan subunit: possible role of the COOH-terminal amino acid of the disaccharide tetrapeptide in binding to the T cell receptor.

Abstract

The T cell line specific for a bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan subunit, disaccharide tetrapeptide of diaminopimelic acid type, was examined for epitope specificity in elicitation of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) in X-irradiated Lewis rats, using pairs of analogs different in optical configuration of the COOH-terminal amino acid. The test cell line induced DTH against analogs with the COOH-terminal D-amino acid but not against those with the L-amino acid at the COOH terminus. A close correlation was found between the T cell line-induced DTH reaction in vivo and the proliferative response in vitro, in terms of clear discrimination of the optical configuration of COOH-terminal amino acid of disaccharide tetrapeptide. The L-isomers (non-stimulatory analogs of T cell proliferation) competitively inhibited the proliferation of the T cell line by the corresponding D-isomers. Thus the L-isomers appear to interact with Ia molecules on antigen-presenting cells. We conclude that COOH-terminal D-amino acid of the disaccharide tetrapeptide could be involved in binding to the T cell receptor, induction of T cell proliferation, and elicitation of DTH.

• Authors: M Katsuki, H Iribe, K Kakimoto, S Kotani, S Kawata, T Koga
• Journal: Cellular immunology (Cell Immunol) Vol. 121 Issue 2 Pg. 391-7 (Jul 1989) ISSN: 0008-8749 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 2786764 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Amino Acids
• Peptidoglycan
• Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell

Topics

• Amino Acids (immunology)
• Animals
• Cell Line
• Female
• Hypersensitivity, Delayed (etiology)
• Lymphocyte Activation
• Peptidoglycan (immunology)
• Rats
• Rats, Inbred Lew
• Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell (metabolism)
• Stereoisomerism
• T-Lymphocytes (immunology)