Albumin is the most abundant protein in blood where it has a pivotal role as a transporter of fatty acids and drugs. Like IgG, albumin has long serum half-life, protected from degradation by pH-dependent recycling mediated by interaction with the neonatal Fc receptor, FcRn. Although the FcRn interaction with IgG is well characterized at the atomic level, its interaction with albumin is not. Here we present structure-based modelling of the FcRn–albumin complex, supported by binding analysis of site-specific mutants, providing mechanistic evidence for the presence of pH-sensitive ionic networks at the interaction interface. These networks involve conserved histidines in both FcRn and albumin domain III. Histidines also contribute to intramolecular interactions that stabilize the otherwise flexible loops at both the interacting surfaces. Molecular details of the FcRn–albumin complex may guide the development of novel albumin variants with altered serum half-life as carriers of drugs.

Background: FcRn controls the long serum half-life of albumin. Results: A single amino acid substitution of albumin considerably improved binding to FcRn and extended serum half-life in mice and rhesus monkeys. Conclusion: Serum half-life of albumin may be tailored by engineering the FcRn-albumin interaction. Significance: This study reports on engineered albumin that may be attractive for improving the serum half-life of biopharmaceuticals.

Posttranslational modification of Ag is implicated in several autoimmune diseases. In celiac disease, a cereal gluten-induced enteropathy with several autoimmune features, T cell recognition of the gluten Ag is heavily dependent on the posttranslational conversion of Gln to Glu residues. Evidence suggests that the enhanced recognition of deamidated gluten peptides results from improved peptide binding to the MHC and TCR interaction with the peptide–MHC complex. In this study, we report that there is a biased usage of TCR Vβ6.7 chain among TCRs reactive to the immunodominant DQ2-α-II gliadin epitope. We isolated Vβ6.7 and DQ2-αII tetramer-positive CD4+ T cells from peripheral blood of gluten-challenged celiac patients and sequenced the TCRs of a large number of single T cells. TCR sequence analysis revealed in vivo clonal expansion, convergent recombination, semipublic response, and the notable conservation of a non-germline-encoded Arg residue in the CDR3β loop. Functional testing of a prototype DQ2-α-II–reactive TCR by analysis of TCR transfectants and soluble single-chain TCRs indicate that the deamidated residue in the DQ2-α-II peptide poses constraints on the TCR structure in which the conserved Arg residue is a critical element. The findings have implications for understanding T cell responses to posttranslationally modified Ags.

Background & aims: The pathogenesis of celiac disease (CD) is thought to be driven by a transglutaminase 2 (TG2)-dependent inflammatory CD4 + T-cell response in the gut towards deamidated gluten peptides in the context of disease-associated HLA-DQ molecules. We aimed to gain insight into the antigen presentation process underlying this mucosal immune response. Methods: We generated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for the peptide-MHC (pMHC) complex HLA-DQ2.5 and the immunodominant gluten epitope DQ2.5-glia-α1a using phage display. Using these mAbs we assessed gluten peptide presentation in freshly prepared single-cell suspensions of patient intestinal biopsies. Results: The mAbs allowed specific detection of in vivo generated pMHC complexes on the cells of gut biopsies from CD patients consuming gluten. Surprisingly, we identified B cells and plasma cells (PCs) as the most abundant cells presenting DQ2.5-glia-α1a in the inflamed mucosa. Further, we demonstrate that a group of these PCs expresses B-cell receptors (BCRs) specific for either gluten peptides or the autoantigen TG2. MHC class II (MHCII) expression was not restricted to these specific PCs associated with CD, but was observed at an average of 30% of the gut PCs both in CD patients as well as in non-inflamed tissue. Conclusions: A population of PCs in the gut expresses MHCII and is the most abundant cell type presenting the immunodominant gluten peptide DQ2.5-glia-α1a. These results suggest an important and previously unappreciated role of PCs in the gut as antigen presenting cells (APCs). PCs may thus be responsible for promoting and sustaining intestinal inflammation such as in CD.