Expression levels of MHC class I molecules are inversely correlated with promiscuity of peptide binding
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Authors
Chappell, Paul E
Meziane, El kahina
Harrison, Michael
Magiera, Łukasz
Hermann, Clemens
Mears, Laura
Durant, Charlotte
Nielsen, Lise Lotte
Buus, Søren
Ternette, Nicola
Mwangi, William
Butter, Colin
Nair, Venugopal
Ahyee, Trudy
Duggleby, Richard
Madrigal, Alejandro
Roversi, Pietro
Lea, Susan M
Publication Date
2015-04-10Journal Title
eLIFE
ISSN
2050-084X
Publisher
eLife
Volume
4
Number
e05345
Language
English
Type
Article
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Chappell, P. E., Meziane, E. k., Harrison, M., Magiera, Ł., Hermann, C., Mears, L., Wrobel, A., et al. (2015). Expression levels of MHC class I molecules are inversely correlated with promiscuity of peptide binding. eLIFE, 4 (e05345)https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05345
Abstract
Highly polymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules are at the heart
of adaptive immune responses, playing crucial roles in many kinds of disease and in vaccination. We
report that breadth of peptide presentation and level of cell surface expression of class I molecules
are inversely correlated in both chickens and humans. This relationship correlates with protective
responses against infectious pathogens including Marek’s disease virus leading to lethal tumours in
chickens and human immunodeficiency virus infection progressing to AIDS in humans. We propose
that differences in peptide binding repertoire define two groups of MHC class I molecules
strategically evolved as generalists and specialists for different modes of pathogen resistance. We
suggest that differences in cell surface expression level ensure the development of optimal
peripheral T cell responses. The inverse relationship of peptide repertoire and expression is evidently
a fundamental property of MHC molecules, with ramifications extending beyond immunology and
medicine to evolutionary biology and conservation.
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust Programme grant 089305; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Core Funding to the Pirbright Institute; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Wellcome Trust.
Funder references
Wellcome Trust (089305/Z/09/Z)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05345
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/248451
Rights
Attribution 2.0 UK: England & Wales
Licence URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/uk/
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