CD1-restricted lipid-specific T lymphocytes are primed during infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis. Here we describe the antigenicity of glycerol monomycolate (GroMM), which stimulates CD1b-restricted CD4(+) T cell clones. Chemical characterization of this antigen showed that it exists as two stereoisomers, one synthetic isomer being more stimulatory than the other. The hydroxyl groups of glycerol and the mycolic acid length are critical for triggering the T cell responses. GroMM was presented by M. tuberculosis-infected dendritic cells, demonstrating that the antigen is available for presentation during natural infection. Ex vivo experiments showed that GroMM stimulated T cells from vaccinated or latently infected healthy donors but not cells from patients with active tuberculosis, suggesting that GroMM-specific T cells are primed during infection and their detection correlates with lack of clinical active disease.

CD1b-restricted T lymphocytes recognize a large diversity of mycobacterial lipids, which differ in their hydrophilic heads and the structure of their acyl appendages. Both moieties participate in the antigenicity of lipid Ags, but the structural constraints governing binding to CD1b and generation of antigenic CD1b:lipid Ag complexes are still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the structural requirements conferring antigenicity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis sulfoglycolipid Ags using a combination of CD1b:lipid binding and T cell activation assays with both living dendritic cells and plate-bound recombinant soluble CD1b. Comparison of the antigenicity of a panel of synthetic analogs, sharing the same trehalose-sulfate polar head, but differing in the structure of their acyl tails, shows that the number of C-methyl substituents on the fatty acid, the configuration of the chiral centers, and the respective localization of the two different acyl chains on the sugar moiety govern TCR recognition and T lymphocyte activation. These studies have major implications for the design of sulfoglycolipid analogs with potential use as tuberculosis subunit vaccines.

The mechanisms permitting nonpolymorphic CD1 molecules to present lipid antigens that differ considerably in polar head and aliphatic tails remain elusive. It is also unclear why hydrophobic motifs in the aliphatic tails of some antigens, which presumably embed inside CD1 pockets, contribute to determinants for T-cell recognition. The 1.9-Å crystal structure of an active complex of CD1b and a mycobacterial diacylsulfoglycolipid presented here provides some clues. Upon antigen binding, endogenous spacers of CD1b, which consist of a mixture of diradylglycerols, moved considerably within the lipid-binding groove. Spacer displacement was accompanied by F' pocket closure and an extensive rearrangement of residues exposed to T-cell receptors. Such structural reorganization resulted in reduction of the A' pocket capacity and led to incomplete embedding of the methyl-ramified portion of the phthioceranoyl chain of the antigen, explaining why such hydrophobic motifs are critical for T-cell receptor recognition. Mutagenesis experiments supported the functional importance of the observed structural alterations for T-cell stimulation. Overall, our data delineate a complex molecular mechanism combining spacer repositioning and ligandinduced conformational changes that, together with pocket intricacy, endows CD1b with the required molecular plasticity to present a broad range of structurally diverse antigens.three-dimensional structure | groove shrinking | diacylglycerol endogenous ligand | T lymphocyte activation | CD1b mutant transfectant T lymphocytes have developed the capacity to recognize as antigens a large variety of molecules including peptides, (glyco)lipids, and phosphorylated metabolites (1). Specific recognition of peptides or lipids by T-cell receptors (TCR) occurs when these molecules form antigenic complexes with dedicated antigen-presenting molecules belonging to MHC or CD1 families, respectively. Diversity has forced the immune system to develop appropriate strategies to present antigens in immunogenic form. Polymorphic MHC molecules cope with the peptide repertoire by constraining the ligand conformational space (2). Less clear is how the immune system adapts to the large glycolipid antigenic range and forms antigenic complexes using the functionally nonpolymorphic CD1 molecules.Human antigen-presenting cells (APC) display the CD1a, CD1b, CD1c, and CD1d proteins on their plasma membranes (1, 3). CD1 ectodomains consist of a heavy chain, which folds into three extracellular domains (α1-α3) noncovalently associated with β2-microglobulin (4). Antigen-binding grooves nestle between the α1 and α2 domains and are mostly lined by hydrophobic residues. This allows the antigenic lipids to be anchored via their hydrophobic chains, so that polar motifs protrude toward the aqueous milieu. Consequently, polar heads but not hydrophobic tails are assumed to establish stimulatory contacts with TCRs. Nevertheless, modifications in the lipid chains may also indirectly impact on TCR recognition (5).The number, shape, and conn...

Deficiencies in enzymes of the lysosomal glycosphingolipid degradation pathway or in lysosomal lipid transfer proteins cause an imbalance in lipid metabolism and induce accumulation of certain lipids. A possible impact of such an imbalance on the presentation of lipid antigens to lipid-reactive T cells has only been hypothesized but not extensively studied so far. Here we demonstrate that presentation of lipid antigens to, and development of, lipid-reactive CD1d-restricted NKT cells, are impaired in mice deficient in the lysosomal enzyme b-galactosidase (bGal) or the lysosomal lipid transfer protein Niemann-Pick C (NPC) 2. Importantly, the residual populations of NKT cells selected in bGal -/-and NPC2 -/-mice showed differential TCR and CD4 repertoire characteristics, suggesting that differential selecting CD1d:lipid antigen complexes are formed. Furthermore, we provide direct evidence that accumulation of lipids impairs lipid antigen presentation in both cases. However, the mechanisms by which imbalanced lipid metabolism affected lipid antigen presentation were different. Based on these results, the impact of lipid accumulation should be generally considered in the interpretation of immunological deficiencies found in mice suffering from lipid metabolic disorders.Supporting information for this article is available at http://www.wiley-vch.de/contents/jc_2040/2007/37160_s.pdf IntroductionDefects in lysosomal lipid trafficking or degradation result in a severe imbalance of lipid metabolism. Little is known about the consequences of such an imbalance on the presentation of lipid antigens to lipid-reactive T cells, e.g., the important immunoregulatory invariant (i) NKT cell subset (Va14i and Va24i NKT cells in mice and humans, respectively), which recognizes glycolipid antigens presented by the MHC class I-like molecule Abbreviations: a-GalCer: a-galactosylceramide (KRN7000) Á a/bGal: a/b-galactosidase Á DN: CD4 -CD8 -double negative Á DP: CD4 + CD8 + double positive Á Hex: hexosaminidase Á HSA: heat-stable Ag Á i: invariant Á iGb3: isoglobotrihexosylceramide Á NB-DNJ: N-butyldeoxynojirimycin Á NPC: NiemannPick C Eur. J. Immunol. 2007Immunol. . 37: 1431Immunol. -1441 CD1d. In mice, the TCR of Va14i NKT cells is composed of an invariant Va14-Ja18 chain, paired preferentially with a restricted b chain, mostly containing Vb8.2 or Vb7 (the human equivalents are Va24-Ja18 and Vb11) [1][2][3][4]. Va14i NKT cells are implicated in the regulation of antitumor immunity, antimicrobial responses, and the balance between tolerance and autoimmunity [5,6]. Va14i NKT cells, which can be either CD4 + or CD4 -CD8 -double negative (DN), are a thymus-dependent population derived from CD4 + CD8 + double-positive (DP) thymocytes [7][8][9][10][11]. Different maturation stages of developing thymic Va14i NKT cells have been described, characterized by the sequential acquisition of CD44 and NK1.1 in C57BL/6 mice [12][13][14]. Unlike conventional MHC-dependent T cells, Va14i NKT cells are not positively selected by thymic epithelial cell...

Able antigen analogues: Analogues of the mycobacterial sulfoglycolipid antigen 1 isolated from Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been prepared by a short and general route. Some derivatives showed interesting immunogenic properties and activated cytotoxic T cells. Immunogenic analogues contained a chiral saturated or α,β‐unsaturated polymethylated fatty acid with S configured stereogenic centers at the 3‐position of the trehalose core.

The human CD1a–d proteins are plasma membrane molecules involved in the presentation of lipid Ags to T cells. In contrast, CD1e is an intracellular protein present in a soluble form in late endosomes or lysosomes and is essential for the processing of complex glycolipid Ags such as hexamannosylated phosphatidyl-myo-inositol, PIM6. CD1e is formed by the association of β2-microglobulin with an α-chain encoded by a polymorphic gene. We report here that one variant of CD1e with a proline at position 194, encoded by allele 4, does not assist PIM6 presentation to CD1b-restricted specific T cells. The immunological incompetence of this CD1e variant is mainly due to inefficient assembly and poor transport of this molecule to late endosomal compartments. Although the allele 4 of CD1E is not frequent in the population, our findings suggest that homozygous individuals might display an altered immune response to complex glycolipid Ags.

The recognition of both protein and lipid antigens follows similar strategies that rely on different molecular mechanisms. APC present lipid antigens exploiting the same mechanisms implicated in lipid translocation, lipoprotein assembly and lipid degradation. An important issue is how the lipid structure contributes to antigenicity. Lipid hydrophobicity influences the modes of internalization by APC, the trafficking through different membrane compartments, the binding to CD1 molecules and the stability of antigenic complexes. Some glycolipids with large hydrophilic parts require processing of the sugar moieties exerted by lysosomal hydrolases. Finally, extraction of lipids from membranes, their solubilization and loading on CD1 molecules are facilitated by the same lysosomal lipid-binding proteins that are also instrumental in lipid catabolism. More recent investigations reveal how lipid-specific immunity is regulated during infections. In this review we describe the main cellular and biochemical rules of lipid antigen presentation and discuss their implications in anti-microbial and autoimmune responses.Key words: Antigen recognition . CD1 . Lipid antigens . TCR IntroductionMembers of the MHC or CD1 families present protein and lipid antigens to T cells, respectively. CD1 molecules are differentially expressed by a variety of cell types including DC, B cells, monocytes, Langerhans cells, stellate hepatic cells, epithelial cells, microglial cells and keratinocytes. In humans, five genes (CD1A, B, C, D and E) encode CD1 proteins. CD1a, CD1b, CD1c and CD1d molecules reach the plasma membrane and are involved in lipid presentation to T cells, whereas CD1e remains intracellular and is involved in lipid processing. Lipid-specific T cells express a variety of TCR heterodimers, with the exception of invariant NKT (iNKT) cells, a CD1d-restricted population that uses a semi-invariant TCR (invariant Va24-Ja18 and variable Vb11 chains in humans, invariant Va14-Ja18 and variable Vb8.2, Vb7 or Vb2 chains in mice).Proteins become antigenic after a series of events starting with partial degradation by the cellular machinery represented by the proteasome or by proteases located in lysosomes (Ly) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This immunological function, commonly known as antigen processing, leads to the generation of peptide fragments that are carried to the proximity of MHC molecules with which they form antigenic complexes. A similar scheme applies to the presentation of lipid antigens. Lipids derived from extracellular routes are internalized or alternatively, self-lipid antigens are synthesized within the APC. These lipids are then transported into the cellular compartments where CD1 molecules traffic and after loading onto CD1, form antigenic complexes.The physicochemical properties of lipids and peptides impose the utilization of different strategies by the APC to digest, transport and load each of these classes of molecules. Antigenicity of lipids is achieved with the participation of extracellular and intracellular li...

Auf einer kurzen und generellen Route wurden Analoga des mycobakteriellen Sulfoglycolipid‐Antigens 1 aus Mycobacterium tuberculosis synthetisiert. Einige Derivate zeigten interessante immunogene Eigenschaften und aktivierten cytotoxische T‐Zellen. Sie enthielten eine chirale gesättigte oder α,β‐ungesättigte, mehrfach methylierte Fettsäure mit S‐konfigurierten Stereozentren an der 3‐Position des Trehalosekerns.