Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0033036 (APC)
 10,214 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

There is a subtle duality in the role of proteolytic enzymes in Ag processing. They are required to fragment protein Ag ingested by APC. However, prolonged exposure to proteolytic enzymes may lead to a complete degradation of the Ag, leaving nothing for the T cell system to recognize. What ensures that some of the Ag is salvaged? Using a cell-free system we demonstrate that an Ag fragment, once bound to a MHC class II molecule, is effectively protected against proteolytic destruction by cathepsin B and pronase E. The bound fragment, however, can be modified by aminopeptidase N. We suggest that MHC class II molecules play an important regulatory role in the physiologic processing of Ag.
 ...
PMID:MHC molecules protect T cell epitopes against proteolytic destruction. 138 92

Dendritic cells (DC) are potent APC that can be purified from cultured peripheral blood non-T cells. Because no specific cell surface marker has been found, the lineage of DC remains obscure. The purpose of these studies was to determine the circulating blood cells that could give rise to functional human DC. DC were enriched when purified by standard techniques from non-T cells that were treated with L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester, known to be toxic to monocytes and cytolytic cells. To determine whether monocytes or B cells could give rise to DC, fresh non-T cells were sorted into CD14+ monocytes, CD19+ B cells, and CD14- and CD19- cells. Although there was some enrichment for APC function by cultured nonadherent CD14- or CD19- cells, a marked enrichment for cells with dendritic morphology and potent APC function was found in the population that was sorted by the absence of expression of CD14, CD19, CD3, and CD16. More than 90% of the CD14-CD19-CD16-CD3- sorted cells, and of control DC, expressed the myeloid markers CD13 and CD33. Therefore, fresh non-T cells were sorted based on the expression of these myeloid markers. In comparison with CD33-CD14- B cells, some of the CD33+ cells expressed CD14 dimly. However, they were easily distinguished from monocytes, which intensely expressed CD14. CD33+CD14dim cells developed dendritic processes and were more potent APC than control DC, CD33+CD14+, or CD33-CD14- cells. Although freshly isolated CD33+CD14dim DC expressed a number of cell surface molecules also expressed by CD14+ monocytes, they demonstrated lower levels of lysosomal enzymes and a lack of FcR-mediated phagocytosis in comparison with monocytes. Differentiation of morphology and phenotype of CD33+CD14dim cells occurred within 6 to 36 h in culture. However, the CD33+CD14dim cells could effectively function as APC without prolonged preincubation to develop dendritic morphology. These data indicate that human blood DC arise from precursors that express the myeloid lineage markers CD13 and CD33, but are functionally distinct from classic CD14+ monocytes.
 ...
PMID:Isolation and characterization of human peripheral blood dendritic cells. 767 23

Dendritic cells (DCs) effectively process exogenous and endogenous Ag and present peptide in the context of both class I and class II molecules. We have demonstrated that peripheral blood DCs efficiently degrade synthetic class I peptides at their cell surface within minutes as determined by analyzing DC supernatants by HPLC. Fragments were verified as bona fide cleavage products by direct sequencing using collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry. The predominant degradative activities were 1) not secreted but associated with activity at the plasma membrane, 2) ecto-orientated, 3) not induced by peptide-specific interactions, and 4) not associated with nonspecific uptake. Sequence analysis indicated that both N- and C-terminal as well as endoproteolytic events were occurring at the cell surface. The primary exoproteolytic event was identified as CD13 or CD13-like activity through inhibition studies and could be inhibited by ubiquitin and metal-chelating agents. Endoproteolytic events could be inhibited in the presence of DTT, but the precise nature of this enzyme is still undetermined. Compared with the starting monocyte population, DCs cultured in the presence of granulocyte-macrophage CSF/IL-4 exhibited the highest degradative rate (4.3 nmol/min), followed by cultured monocytes (2.9 nmol/min) and freshly isolated monocytes (1.0 nmol/min). In addition to increased enzymatic activity, a change in substrate specificity was noted. Results are discussed with respect to APC loading, and alternatives are offered for circumventing such degradation.
 ...
PMID:Rapid extracellular degradation of synthetic class I peptides by human dendritic cells. 978 Jan 72

In this study we have re-examined the molecular mechanisms involved in activation of T cells by dendritic cells (DC). Human peripheral blood DC (PBDC) were derived by 2 h adhesion followed by 7 day culture in a combination of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor and IL-4, and depletion of residual T and B cells. These PBDC were used to induce autologous T cell proliferation in a CD3-dependent response, and antibodies against CD11a/18 and CD86 were used as control inhibitors of accessory function. Antibodies against five of the cell surface molecules that we have recently identified on the surface of DC, CD13, CD87, CD98, CD147 and CD148, and an antibody which recognizes a molecule that has not as yet been identified, all inhibited the CD3-induced T cell proliferation. These findings were observed not only when antibodies were present throughout the culture, but also when they were prepulsed on to the surface of the DC, suggesting the inhibition was mediated via the antigen-presenting cells rather than the T cell. The same set of antibodies also inhibited an allospecific mixed lymphocyte reaction, confirming that the inhibitory effect was not dependent on the use of a CD3 antibody as the stimulating agent. All the antibodies of known specificity inhibited both CD4 and CD8 T cells equally. Unlike CD87, CD98 and CD147 antibodies, which inhibited activation of both CD45RA (naive) T cells and CD45RO (memory) T cells, CD13 and CD148 appeared to be involved in activation of naive cells only. The molecules identified in this study have not previously been demonstrated to play a role as accessory molecules on DC, the cells that are pivotal for immune induction. Therefore they may provide new potential targets for modulation of the immune response at the APC level.
 ...
PMID:Novel molecular mechanisms of dendritic cell-induced T cell activation. 1088 17