The response of bovine beta-lactoglobulin-specific T-cell clones to single amino acid substitution of T-cell core epitope

Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2008 Nov;19(7):592-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2007.00704.x. Epub 2008 Mar 5.

Abstract

Cow's milk is one of the most common food allergens in the first year of life, with approximately 2.5% of infants experiencing an allergic reaction to it. Beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) is one of the major allergens in cow's milk. Previously, we reported that four of six T-cell clones (TCC) which were established from cow's milk allergy patients recognized BLGp97-117 as the core sequence and also recognized BLG in association with the human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1*0405 allele. Using two of these four TCCs, we evaluated the T-cell response to BLG peptides with single amino acid substitution or deletion and identified BLGp102-112 as the minimum essential region in BLGp97-117. In the alanine-scan assay, the proliferative responses of TCCs to pE108A disappeared, and the proliferative responses of TCCs to pC106A decreased. In the analog peptide proliferation assay, pY102S had retained some T-cell response to the two TCCs. Collecting these results, we propose a motif for the interaction between the HLA-DRB1*0405 allele and antigen peptide, and suggest that BLGp105-108 are important residues to retain the TCR/BLG-peptide/HLA complex. pY102A and pY102S are partial agonists for the T-cell receptor. These peptides might be considered as candidate peptides for the modification of the T-cell response to BLG in cow's milk allergy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution / immunology*
  • Animals
  • Child, Preschool
  • Clone Cells / immunology
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / genetics
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • Female
  • HLA-DR Antigens / immunology
  • HLA-DRB1 Chains
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukin-10 / immunology
  • Interleukin-10 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-4 / immunology
  • Interleukin-4 / metabolism
  • Lactoglobulins / immunology*
  • Milk / immunology
  • Milk Hypersensitivity / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • HLA-DR Antigens
  • HLA-DRB1 Chains
  • Lactoglobulins
  • Interleukin-10
  • Interleukin-4
  • Interferon-gamma