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  2. Diversity of T Cells Restricted by the MHC Class I-Related Molecule MR1 Facilitates Differential Antigen Recognition

Diversity of T Cells Restricted by the MHC Class I-Related Molecule MR1 Facilitates Differential Antigen Recognition

  • Immunity. 2016 Jan 19;44(1):32-45. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2015.12.005.
Nicholas A Gherardin 1 Andrew N Keller 2 Rachel E Woolley 2 Jérôme Le Nours 2 David S Ritchie 3 Paul J Neeson 4 Richard W Birkinshaw 2 Sidonia B G Eckle 5 John N Waddington 6 Ligong Liu 7 David P Fairlie 7 Adam P Uldrich 6 Daniel G Pellicci 6 James McCluskey 5 Dale I Godfrey 8 Jamie Rossjohn 9
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
  • 2 Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
  • 3 Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
  • 4 Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia.
  • 5 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
  • 6 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
  • 7 Division of Chemistry & Structural Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia.
  • 8 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: godfrey@unimelb.edu.au.
  • 9 Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK. Electronic address: jamie.rossjohn@monash.edu.
Abstract

A characteristic of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells is the expression of TRAV1-2(+) T cell receptors (TCRs) that are activated by riboflavin metabolite-based antigens (Ag) presented by the MHC-I related molecule, MR1. Whether the MR1-restricted T cell repertoire and associated Ag responsiveness extends beyond these cells remains unclear. Here, we describe MR1 autoreactivity and folate-derivative reactivity in a discrete subset of TRAV1-2(+) MAIT cells. This recognition was attributable to CDR3β loop-mediated effects within a consensus TRAV1-2(+) TCR-MR1-Ag footprint. Furthermore, we have demonstrated differential folate- and riboflavin-derivative reactivity by a diverse population of "atypical" TRAV1-2(-) MR1-restricted T cells. We have shown that TRAV1-2(-) T cells are phenotypically heterogeneous and largely distinct from TRAV1-2(+) MAIT cells. A TRAV1-2(-) TCR docks more centrally on MR1, thereby adopting a markedly different molecular footprint to the TRAV1-2(+) TCR. Accordingly, diversity within the MR1-restricted T cell repertoire leads to differing MR1-restricted Ag specificity.

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