Identification of Novel HLA-A*0201-Restricted CTL Epitopes in Chinese Vitiligo Patients.

ABSTRACT: Generalized vitiligo is an autoimmune disease characterized by melanocyte loss, which results in patchy depigmentation of skin and hair. Recent studies suggested the key role of CD8⁺T lymphocytes for mediating immune response in vitiligo through melanocyte differentiation antigens, including tyrosinase, gp100 and MelanA/Mart-1. However, the specific epitopes of these auto-antigens are still unknown. In our study, we predicted the possible HLA-A*0201-restricted nonapeptides overlaying the full-length amino acid sequences of these three known antigens and investigated the lymphocytes reactivity to these nonapeptides by Elispot assay. In addition, we evaluated the abilities of these nonapeptides to activate CD8⁺T cells. We screened out 5 possible epitopes originated from

SUBMITTER: Cui T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5099573 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature