Inhibition of human T-cell responses to house dust mite allergens by a T-cell receptor peptide

J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1994 Nov;94(5):844-52. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(94)90152-x.

Abstract

Recent analysis of the usage of T-cell receptor (TcR) beta chain variable region (V beta) gene elements by house dust mite (HDM)-reactive T cells from an atopic donor suggested that TcR-V beta 3 gene products may form a major component of the human T-cell repertoire reactive to this common allergen. In this study a peptide analog of the TcR-V beta 3 complementarity determining region 2 (CDR2) is shown to inhibit the polyclonal human T-cell response to HDM; this effect is specific because inhibition is dependent on the presence of V beta 3 + T cells. This experimental approach has been used to determine whether the pattern seen in T-cell clones derived from one atopic donor reflects TcR-V beta usage in the polyclonal response to allergen in the general population. Inhibition of more than 50% of the polyclonal response to allergen by V beta 3-CDR2 peptide was observed in 16 of 21 donors tested, suggesting that TcR-V beta 3 gene usage may form a major component of the human HDM repertoire and as such offer a suitable target for T cell-directed specific immunotherapy in HDM-allergic individuals. Depletion of CD8+ T cells abolishes peptide-mediated inhibition of CD4+ T-cell proliferation to HDM, suggesting that induction of a CD8+ regulatory T-cell subset by the CDR2 peptide may modulate HDM-specific allergic T-cell responses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allergens / immunology*
  • Animals
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / physiology
  • Clone Cells
  • Dust*
  • Humans
  • Mites / immunology*
  • Peptide Fragments / pharmacology*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / chemistry*
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Dust
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta