Modeling the ternary complex TCR-Vbeta/CollagenII(261-273)/HLA-DR4 associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

It is known that genetic predisposition to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with the MHC class II allele HLA-DR4 and that residues 261-273 of type II collagen (huCollp261) represent an immunodominant T cell epitope restricted by the DR4 molecule. Despite recent advances in characterization of MHC and T cell receptor (TCR) contacts to this epitope, the atomic details of TCR/huCollp261/HLA-DR4 ternary complex are not known.

Methodology/principal findings

Here we have used computational modeling to get insight into this interaction. A three-dimensional model of the TCR Vbeta domain from a DR4(+) patient affected by RA has been derived by homology modeling techniques. Subsequently, the structure of the TCR Vbeta domain in complex with huCollp261/HLA-DR4 was obt

SUBMITTER: De Rosa MC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2904365 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature