Structure studies of the human class II major histocompatibility complex protein HLA-DR1

Abstract

Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) proteins are heterodimeric membrane glycoproteins that bind antigens in the form of short peptides within the cell and present them to the T cell receptors on the surface T cells. In this thesis work, the structural aspects of the human class II MHC protein HLA-DR1 in complex with different peptides and also in the peptide-free form were investigated. Biochemical, crystallographic, and immunological analyses of an unusually long peptide antigen derived from HIV-gag (p24) and its interaction with HLA-DR1 and a HIV-specific CD4+ T cell clone were studied. The HIV-gag (p24) peptide binds in an unexpected conformation, with its C- terminal region making a hairpin turn that bends back over the groove. The residues at the C-terminus are critical for T-cell recognition, and disruption of the hairpin turn abrogates the immune response. The results suggest a new mode of MHC-peptide-TCR interaction. A set of viral peptide analogs designed to increase binding affinity for HLA-DR while maintaining antigenic interactions with a virus-specific T cell receptor were designed, tested and analyzed. Ultimately, a N-methyl substitution at position 7 is shown to increase binding affinity by displacement of one of three water molecules bound between the MHC and peptide. The results have implications for design of peptido-mimetic vaccines, and are discussed in the broad context of other attempts to increase protein-ligand interaction through displacement of tightly bound water molecules. The role for the P10 shelf in peptide binding site was investigated. Crystallographic studies confirm the formation of a P10 shelf that is lined with highly polymorphic residues. Biochemical studies were conducted

(cont.) on a series of peptides different at the P10 position on four HLA-DRl(P10) mutants showing that this shelf has some specificity and can be involved in the discrimination of peptides that bind to class II MHC proteins. Studies of the empty, peptide-free form of HLA-DR1 were conducted by NMR spectroscopy showing that the conformation of this empty form is not in a molten globule-like state and that in general is similar to that of the peptide-loaded form but with several differences. Preliminary characterization of the peptide-receptive and peptide-averse forms of the empty HLA-DR1 is described.