Structural requirements for glycolipid antigen recognition by CD1b-restricted T cells.

The human CD1b protein presents lipid antigens to T cells, but the molecular mechanism is unknown. Identification of mycobacterial glucose monomycolate (GMM) as a CD1b-presented glycolipid allowed determination of the structural requirements for its recognition by T cells. Presentation of GMM to CD1b-restricted T cells was not affected by substantial variations in its lipid tails, but was extremely sensitive to chemical alterations in its carbohydrate or other polar substituents. These findings support the view that the recently demonstrated hydrophobic CD1 groove binds the acyl chains of lipid antigens relatively nonspecifically, thereby positioning the hydrophilic components for highly specific interactions with T cell antigen receptors.

Dysprosium(III)-diethylenetriaminepentaacetate complexes of aminocyclodextrins as chiral NMR shift reagents.

A metal chelating ligand is bonded to alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrin by the reaction of diethylenetraminepentaacetic dianhydride with the corresponding 6-mono- and 2-mono(amine)cyclodextrin. Adding Dy(III) to the cyclodextrin derivatives causes shifts in the (1)H-NMR spectra of substrates such as propranolol, tryptophan, aspartame, carbinoxamine, pheniramine, doxylamine, and 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate. The Dy(III)-induced shifts enhance the enantiomeric resolution in the NMR spectra of several substrates. Enhancements in enantiomeric resolution using cyclodextrin derivatives with the amine tether are compared to previously described compounds in which the chelating ligand is attached through an ethylenediamine tether. In general, the Dy(III) complex of the 6-beta-derivative with the amine tether is a more effective chiral resolving agent than the complex with the ethylenediamine tether. The opposite trend is observed with the 2-beta-derivatives. The presence of the chelating ligand in the 2-beta-derivative hinders certain substrates from entering the cavity. For cationic substrates, evidence suggests that a cooperative association involving inclusion in the cavity and association with the Dy(III) unit occurs. Enhancements in enantiomeric resolution in the spectrum of tryptophan are greater for the secondary alpha- and gamma-derivatives than the beta-derivative.