Control of antigen presentation with a photoreleasable agonist peptide

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja065304l

The immunological synapse is a specialized intercellular junction between a T cell and a target cell that orchestrates the engagement of receptors and ligands in space and time as a means of regulating function. Here we introduce a reagent for controlling the spatial and temporal presentation of natural antigen to T cells. Moth cytochrome c (88-103) peptide (MCC), an agonist to the murine T cell receptor AND when presented in the context of H2 IE^k major histocompatibility complex (IE^k), was synthesized with the side-chain amine of Lys99 conjugated to a photosensitive protecting group, 6-nitroveratryloxycarbonyl (NVOC). Cells plated on supported bilayers displaying mobile intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and NVOC-MCC loaded IEk did not form immunological synapses and exhibited low intracellular calcium levels, similar to cells presented with self-peptide. Irradiation with UV light was sufficient to restore agonist activity in situ. Copyright