RESUMO
Butyrophilin (BTN) molecules are emerging as key regulators of T cell immunity; however, how they trigger cell-mediated responses is poorly understood. Here, the crystal structure of a gamma-delta T cell antigen receptor (γδTCR) in complex with BTN2A1 revealed that BTN2A1 engages the side of the γδTCR, leaving the apical TCR surface bioavailable. We reveal that a second γδTCR ligand co-engages γδTCR via binding to this accessible apical surface in a BTN3A1-dependent manner. BTN2A1 and BTN3A1 also directly interact with each other in cis, and structural analysis revealed formation of W-shaped heteromeric multimers. This BTN2A1-BTN3A1 interaction involved the same epitopes that BTN2A1 and BTN3A1 each use to mediate the γδTCR interaction; indeed, locking BTN2A1 and BTN3A1 together abrogated their interaction with γδTCR, supporting a model wherein the two γδTCR ligand-binding sites depend on accessibility to cryptic BTN epitopes. Our findings reveal a new paradigm in immune activation, whereby γδTCRs sense dual epitopes on BTN complexes.
Assuntos
Butirofilinas , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T gama-delta , Butirofilinas/metabolismo , Butirofilinas/imunologia , Butirofilinas/química , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T gama-delta/imunologia , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T gama-delta/metabolismo , Humanos , Ligação Proteica , Multimerização Proteica , Antígenos CD/metabolismo , Antígenos CD/imunologia , Antígenos CD/química , Linfócitos T/imunologia , Linfócitos T/metabolismo , Cristalografia por Raios X , Ativação Linfocitária/imunologia , Modelos Moleculares , Linfócitos Intraepiteliais/imunologia , Linfócitos Intraepiteliais/metabolismoRESUMO
The development of therapeutics to prevent or treat COVID-19 remains an area of intense focus. Protein biologics, including monoclonal antibodies and nanobodies that neutralize virus, have potential for the treatment of active disease. Here, we have used yeast display of a synthetic nanobody library to isolate nanobodies that bind the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 and neutralize the virus. We show that combining two clones with distinct binding epitopes within the RBD into a single protein construct to generate biparatopic reagents dramatically enhances their neutralizing capacity. Furthermore, the biparatopic nanobodies exhibit enhanced control over clinically relevant RBD variants that escaped recognition by the individual nanobodies. Structural analysis of biparatopic binding to spike (S) protein revealed a unique binding mode whereby the two nanobody paratopes bridge RBDs encoded by distinct S trimers. Accordingly, biparatopic nanobodies offer a way to rapidly generate powerful viral neutralizers with enhanced ability to control viral escape mutants.
Assuntos
COVID-19 , Células T Matadoras Naturais , Citocinas , Citometria de Fluxo , Humanos , SARS-CoV-2RESUMO
MHC-related protein 1 (MR1) presents microbial riboflavin metabolites to mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells for surveillance of microbial presence. MAIT cells express a semi-invariant T-cell receptor (TCR), which recognizes MR1-antigen complexes in a pattern-recognition-like manner. Recently, diverse populations of MR1-restricted T cells have been described that exhibit broad recognition of tumor cells and appear to recognize MR1 in association with tumor-derived self-antigens, though the identity of these antigens remains unclear. Here, we have used TCR gene transfer and engineered MR1-expressing antigen-presenting cells to probe the MR1 restriction and antigen reactivity of a range of MR1-restricted TCRs, including model tumor-reactive TCRs. We confirm MR1 reactivity by these TCRs, show differential dependence on lysine at position 43 of MR1 (K43) and demonstrate competitive inhibition by the MR1 ligand 6-formylpterin. TCR-expressing reporter lines, however, failed to recapitulate the robust tumor specificity previously reported, suggesting an importance of accessory molecules for MR1-dependent tumor reactivity. Finally, MR1-mutant cell lines showed that distinct residues on the α1/α2 helices were required for TCR binding by different MR1-restricted T cells and suggested central but distinct docking modes by the broad family of MR1-restricted αß TCRs. Collectively, these data are consistent with recognition of distinct antigens by diverse MR1-restricted T cells.
Assuntos
Células T Invariantes Associadas à Mucosa , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T alfa-beta , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe I/metabolismo , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Menor/genética , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T/metabolismo , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T alfa-beta/genéticaRESUMO
CD1c presents lipid-based antigens to CD1c-restricted T cells, which are thought to be a major component of the human T cell pool. However, the study of CD1c-restricted T cells is hampered by the presence of an abundantly expressed, non-T cell receptor (TCR) ligand for CD1c on blood cells, confounding analysis of TCR-mediated CD1c tetramer staining. Here, we identified the CD36 family (CD36, SR-B1, and LIMP-2) as ligands for CD1c, CD1b, and CD1d proteins and showed that CD36 is the receptor responsible for non-TCR-mediated CD1c tetramer staining of blood cells. Moreover, CD36 blockade clarified tetramer-based identification of CD1c-restricted T cells and improved identification of CD1b- and CD1d-restricted T cells. We used this technique to characterize CD1c-restricted T cells ex vivo and showed diverse phenotypic features, TCR repertoire, and antigen-specific subsets. Accordingly, this work will enable further studies into the biology of CD1 and human CD1-restricted T cells.
Assuntos
Apresentação de Antígeno , Antígenos CD1/metabolismo , Antígenos CD36/metabolismo , Glicoproteínas/metabolismo , Subpopulações de Linfócitos T/imunologia , Buffy Coat , Antígenos CD36/antagonistas & inibidores , Voluntários Saudáveis , Humanos , Células Jurkat , Ligantes , Lipídeos/imunologia , Cultura Primária de Células , Multimerização Proteica , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T/metabolismo , Subpopulações de Linfócitos T/metabolismoRESUMO
Liver resident-memory CD8+ T cells (TRM cells) can kill liver-stage Plasmodium-infected cells and prevent malaria, but simple vaccines for generating this important immune population are lacking. Here, we report the development of a fully synthetic self-adjuvanting glycolipid-peptide conjugate vaccine designed to efficiently induce liver TRM cells. Upon cleavage in vivo, the glycolipid-peptide conjugate vaccine releases an MHC I-restricted peptide epitope (to stimulate Plasmodium-specific CD8+ T cells) and an adjuvant component, the NKT cell agonist α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer). A single dose of this vaccine in mice induced substantial numbers of intrahepatic malaria-specific CD8+ T cells expressing canonical markers of liver TRM cells (CD69, CXCR6, and CD101), and these cells could be further increased in number upon vaccine boosting. We show that modifications to the peptide, such as addition of proteasomal-cleavage sequences or epitope-flanking sequences, or the use of alternative conjugation methods to link the peptide to the glycolipid improved liver TRM cell generation and led to the development of a vaccine able to induce sterile protection in C57BL/6 mice against Plasmodium berghei sporozoite challenge after a single dose. Furthermore, this vaccine induced endogenous liver TRM cells that were long-lived (half-life of ~425 days) and were able to maintain >90% sterile protection to day 200. Our findings describe an ideal synthetic vaccine platform for generating large numbers of liver TRM cells for effective control of liver-stage malaria and, potentially, a variety of other hepatotropic infections.
Assuntos
Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/imunologia , Glicolipídeos/imunologia , Fígado/imunologia , Vacinas Antimaláricas/imunologia , Malária/imunologia , Peptídeos/imunologia , Animais , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/patologia , Fígado/patologia , Malária/patologia , Masculino , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Knockout , VacinaçãoRESUMO
T cell receptors (TCRs) recognize antigens presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and MHC class I-like molecules. We describe a diverse population of human γδ T cells isolated from peripheral blood and tissues that exhibit autoreactivity to the monomorphic MHC-related protein 1 (MR1). The crystal structure of a γδTCR-MR1-antigen complex starkly contrasts with all other TCR-MHC and TCR-MHC-I-like complex structures. Namely, the γδTCR binds underneath the MR1 antigen-binding cleft, where contacts are dominated by the MR1 α3 domain. A similar pattern of reactivity was observed for diverse MR1-restricted γδTCRs from multiple individuals. Accordingly, we simultaneously report MR1 as a ligand for human γδ T cells and redefine the parameters for TCR recognition.
Assuntos
Apresentação de Antígeno , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe I/imunologia , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Menor/imunologia , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T gama-delta/imunologia , Cristalografia por Raios X , Células HEK293 , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe I/química , Humanos , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Menor/química , Domínios Proteicos , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T gama-delta/químicaRESUMO
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells express an invariant TRAV1/TRAJ33 TCR-α chain and are restricted to the MHC-I-like molecule, MR1. Whether MAIT cell development depends on this invariant TCR-α chain is unclear. Here we generate Traj33-deficient mice and show that they are highly depleted of MAIT cells; however, a residual population remains and can respond to exogenous antigen in vitro or pulmonary Legionella challenge in vivo. These residual cells include some that express Trav1+ TCRs with conservative Traj-gene substitutions, and others that express Trav1- TCRs with a broad range of Traj genes. We further report that human TRAV1-2- MR1-restricted T cells contain both MAIT-like and non-MAIT-like cells, as judged by their TCR repertoire, antigen reactivity and phenotypic features. These include a MAIT-like population that expresses a public, canonical TRAV36+ TRBV28+ TCR. Our findings highlight the TCR diversity and the resulting potential impact on antigen recognition by MR1-restricted T cells.