| First Author | Greenshields-Watson A | Year | 2020 |
| Journal | Cell Rep | Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 107885 |
| PubMed ID | 32668259 | Mgi Jnum | J:354524 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6714810 | Doi | 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107885 |
| Citation | Greenshields-Watson A, et al. (2020) CD4(+) T Cells Recognize Conserved Influenza A Epitopes through Shared Patterns of V-Gene Usage and Complementary Biochemical Features. Cell Rep 32(2):107885 |
| abstractText | T cell recognition of peptides presented by human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) is mediated by the highly variable T cell receptor (TCR). Despite this built-in TCR variability, individuals can mount immune responses against viral epitopes by using identical or highly related TCRs expressed on CD8(+) T cells. Characterization of these TCRs has extended our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that govern the recognition of peptide-HLA. However, few examples exist for CD4(+) T cells. Here, we investigate CD4(+) T cell responses to the internal proteins of the influenza A virus that correlate with protective immunity. We identify five internal epitopes that are commonly recognized by CD4(+) T cells in five HLA-DR1(+) subjects and show conservation across viral strains and zoonotic reservoirs. TCR repertoire analysis demonstrates several shared gene usage biases underpinned by complementary biochemical features evident in a structural comparison. These epitopes are attractive targets for vaccination and other T cell therapies. |
