Diversity of natural self-derived ligands presented by different HLA class I molecules in transporter antigen processing-deficient cells

PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e59118. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059118. Epub 2013 Mar 26.

Abstract

The transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) translocates the cytosol-derived proteolytic peptides to the endoplasmic reticulum lumen where they complex with nascent human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules. Non-functional TAP complexes and viral or tumoral blocking of these transporters leads to reduced HLA class I surface expression and a drastic change in the available peptide repertoire. Using mass spectrometry to analyze complex human leukocyte antigen HLA-bound peptide pools isolated from large numbers of TAP-deficient cells, we identified 334 TAP-independent ligands naturally presented by four different HLA-A, -B, and -C class I molecules with very different TAP dependency from the same cell line. The repertoire of TAP-independent peptides examined favored increased peptide lengths and a lack of strict binding motifs for all four HLA class I molecules studied. The TAP-independent peptidome arose from 182 parental proteins, the majority of which yielded one HLA ligand. In contrast, TAP-independent antigen processing of very few cellular proteins generated multiple HLA ligands. Comparison between TAP-independent peptidome and proteome of several subcellular locations suggests that the secretory vesicle-like organelles could be a relevant source of parental proteins for TAP-independent HLA ligands. Finally, a predominant endoproteolytic peptidase specificity for Arg/Lys or Leu/Phe residues in the P(1) position of the scissile bond was found for the TAP-independent ligands. These data draw a new and intricate picture of TAP-independent pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / deficiency*
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / genetics
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / immunology
  • Antigen Presentation
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cytosol / immunology
  • Cytosol / metabolism
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / immunology
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / metabolism
  • Genetic Variation / immunology
  • HLA-A Antigens / genetics
  • HLA-A Antigens / immunology*
  • HLA-A Antigens / metabolism
  • HLA-B Antigens / genetics
  • HLA-B Antigens / immunology*
  • HLA-B Antigens / metabolism
  • HLA-C Antigens / genetics
  • HLA-C Antigens / immunology*
  • HLA-C Antigens / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hybridomas / cytology
  • Hybridomas / immunology*
  • Hybridomas / metabolism
  • Ligands
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Peptides / chemical synthesis
  • Peptides / immunology
  • Proteolysis

Substances

  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
  • HLA-A Antigens
  • HLA-B Antigens
  • HLA-C Antigens
  • Ligands
  • Peptides
  • transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP)

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants to DL from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and the FIPSE Foundation and to AA from the Israel Science Foundation 916/05. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.