Identification and functional characterization of T cells reactive to citrullinated vimentin in HLA-DRB1*0401-positive humanized mice and rheumatoid arthritis patients.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Antibodies toward the citrullinated form of the synovial antigen vimentin are specific for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and are associated with HLA-DRB1*0401. This suggests that T cells specific for peptides derived from citrullinated vimentin presented in the context of HLA-DRB1*0401 may contribute to the etiopathogenesis of RA. The aim of this study was to identify immunodominant epitopes from citrullinated vimentin presented by HLA-DRB1*0401 and to characterize the resulting T cell responses.

Methods

We first predicted an HLA-binding T cell epitope from citrullinated vimentin based on the binding motif of HLA-DRB1*0401 and then confirmed its affinity. A class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) tetramer loaded with the citrullinated form of vimentin aa 59-78

SUBMITTER: Snir O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3174345 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature