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J M Cecka

Publications and source records attributed to J M Cecka.

158 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Structure of murine Ia antigens: partial NH2-terminal amino acid sequences of products of the I-E or I-C subregion.

Partial amino acid sequence of the Ia molecule encoded by the I-E or I-C (I-EC) subregion of the major histocompatibility complex of the mouse are presented. The Ia molecule appears to be comprised of two noncovalently associated polypeptides. The larger subunit, alpha, has an approximate molecular weight of 35,000 and the smaller subunit, beta, an approximate molecular weight of 28,000. Several interesting homology relationships (or the lack thereof) are apparent when the Ia polypeptides from the I-EC subregion are compared both with their counterparts from man and guinea pig and with the molecules encoded in the I-A subregion. Clearly the most impressive homology relationship is that seen between the alpha polypeptide from the I-EC subregion of mouse and its human counterpart. This is in striking contrast to the beta polypeptide, which bears no apparent homology to its human counterpart.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1976

Structural aspects of immune recognition of lysozymes. III. T cell specificity restriction and its consequences for antibody specificity.

We have studied the relationship between the determinants encountered by T cells on an antigenic molecule and the specificities of the antibodies eventually produced by the B cells with which these T cells cooperate. The number of epitopes on the hen lysozyme (HEL) molecule available to T cell receptors was functionally limited by inducing T cell tolerance to HEL in rabbits. Highly cross-reactive lysozymes were then used to challenge the HEL-unresponsive rabbits. Only T cells which recognize new epitopes on the challenge lysozymes could act as helpers in generating an anti-lysozyme response. Amino acid differences between Japanese quail lysozyme (JEL) and HEL are segregated within a single quadrant of this small antigen molecule. HEL-tolerant rabbits challenged with JEL produced antibodies which were totally cross-reactive with the tolerogen HEL. This result is in contrast to the result obtained in nontolerant rabbits which produced antibodies to JEL which were only 50-70% cross-reactive with HEL. We conclude that T cells restricted to the JEL-unique epitopes were only capable of cooperating with B cells specific for common epitopes shared between JEL and the tolerogen HEL. Turkey lysozyme (TEL), on the other hand, bears different amino acids which are distributed over several regions on the surface of the molecule. Any one HEL-tolerant rabbit developed a restricted response to TEL; in some rabbits the anti-TEL was highly HEL cross-reactive, while in others little cross-reactivity with HEL was observed. Each of four HEL-tolerant rabbits injected with the minimally altered bob-white quail lysozyme possessed the reactive T cells necessary to mount a limited response to this challenge lysozyme, suggesting a diverse library of T cell specificities. Recognition of the small differences between the challenge lysozymes and the T cells of these tolerant rabbits to make a fine discrimination between minimally changed epitopes.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The steering function of T cells in expression of the antibody repertoire directed against multideterminant protein antigen.

Limitation in the T-cell repertoire has the consequence of reducing the heterogeneity of antibody production. This has been demonstrated in three different systems, in which the T-cell restriction was imposed (1) by tolerance, (2) by peptide priming (3) by natural scarcity. Therefore, expressed repertoires may represent only a portion of the genetically prescribed V regions.

Animals↗