T-cell epitope prediction with combinatorial peptide libraries

J Comput Biol. 2002;9(3):527-39. doi: 10.1089/106652702760138619.

Abstract

T cell receptors (TCR) recognize antigenic peptides in complex with the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules and this trimolecular interaction initiates antigen-specific signaling pathways in the responding T lymphocytes. For the study of autoimmune diseases and vaccine development, it is important to identify peptides (epitopes) that can stimulate a given TCR. The use of combinatorial peptide libraries has recently been introduced as a powerful tool for this purpose. A combinatorial library of n-mer peptides is a set of complex mixtures each characterized by one position fixed to be a specified amino acid and all other positions randomized. A given TCR can be fingerprinted by screening a variety of combinatorial libraries using a proliferation assay. Here, we present statistical models for elucidating the recognition profile of a TCR using combinatorial library proliferation assay data and known MHC binding data.

MeSH terms

  • Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques*
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / analysis*
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Peptide Library*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology

Substances

  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • Ligands
  • Peptide Library
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell