Towards universal structure-based prediction of class II MHC epitopes for diverse allotypes.

ABSTRACT: The binding of peptide fragments of antigens to class II MHC proteins is a crucial step in initiating a helper T cell immune response. The discovery of these peptide epitopes is important for understanding the normal immune response and its misregulation in autoimmunity and allergies and also for vaccine design. In spite of their biomedical importance, the high diversity of class II MHC proteins combined with the large number of possible peptide sequences make comprehensive experimental determination of epitopes for all MHC allotypes infeasible. Computational methods can address this need by predicting epitopes for a particular MHC allotype. We present a structure-based method for predicting class II epitopes that combines molecular mechanics docking of a fully flexible peptide into the MH

SUBMITTER: Bordner AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3004863 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature