Tetramers

Because of soluble molecules with MHC monomer is very low, the affinity of TCR disintegrate quickly, but with a specific price molecules can T cells with the multiple TCR, make its disintegrate speed slow down considerably. Therefore, this Altman with biotin - affinity grain cascade amplification principle of constructing MHC I molecular tetramers. This method through genetic engineering technology for 15 the length of biotin amino acid residues, enzyme substrates peptide (Bio A substrate peptide, add in MHCI BSP) such molecules such as HLA - A2 heavy chain carboxyl end forms fusion protein in vitro, A certain proportion of the micro globulin and specific exceedingly short peptide antigen of incubation, make its folded into the right conformation, become pMHC compound. Will biotin markers in substrates peptide lysine residues, make a mark of fluorescent element with streptavidin - biotin four biotin pMHC complex marked with formation tetramers, MHC - antigen peptide tetramers and antigen specific CFI and commission cases - after the TCR combination, namely can pass flow cytometric analysis in quantitative detected, and can antigen specific CTL by sorting out the training amplification and function outside donor analysis purposes.

Production tetramers foreign famous home, in Proimmune and the BD Altman leadership of American tetramers core facility. Domestic companies have table source biological, etc.

Tetramers technology make antigen specific CTI - active detection achieve specific, efficient and direct quantitative degree, can be applied in immunology research and testing, specific immune therapy and vaccine efficacy monitoring, etc.

(1) as clinical diagnostic tool, quantitative detection of peripheral blood and tissue CTI, ratio of antigen specific phenotype and function, and analyzed. Altman, etc have in large asymptomatic in AIDS patients detect antigen specific CTI. Detection rate as high as 2%,. Zerbini applications such as tetramers technology and immunohistochemical method in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was first detected in tumor tissues of peptide specificity for MAGE, CTL CD8 antigen immunotherapy of the application in HCC provide a broad prospect. In autoimmune diseases tetramers in-situ staining for the earliest TCR transgenic mice. Based on the quantitative detection antigen specific CTL, phenotype and functional analysis, help to elucidate the virus infectious diseases, cancer and autoimmune disease pathogenesis laid a foundation.

(2) used to GuoJi sex tumour immune therapy: denbauer Mei - such as Melan - A peptide specificity of CTL (42.1), intravenous to 8 cases refractory malignant melanoma patients, found that peripheral mononuclear cells in the ratio of antigen specific CTL by infusion of o. after 01% ~ 2% of remarkable to infusion. And these cells in vivo can live several weeks, has the secretion INF - 7 function, and preferred gathered to tumor local play a role.

(3) for vaccine efficacy with the monitoring: in recent years, the RNC antigen peptide pulse processing as the vaccine immune body thus induce effective CTL response become hotspot. The homologous peptide can construct tetramers monitoring the curative effect of the vaccine.