Polyglutamine-Related Aggregates Can Serve as a Potent Antigen Source for Cross-Presentation by Dendritic Cells.

In this study, we address this issue using a combination of in vitro (C57BL/6-derived mouse cell lines) and in vivo (C57BL/6 mouse strains) approaches involving stable and unstable versions of OVA model Ags displaying defective ribosomal protein-dependent and -independent Ag presentation, respectively. Apoptosis, but not necrosis, of donor cells was found associated with robust global protein aggregate formation and captured stable proteins permissive for cross-presentation. Potency of aggregates to serve as Ag source was directly demonstrated using polyglutamine-equipped model substrates. Collectively, our data implicate global protein aggregation in apoptotic cells as a mechanism that ensures the overlap between MHC class I epitopes presented directly or cross-presented by APC and demonstrate the unusual ability of dendritic cells to process stable protein aggregates. PMID: 33067378 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Journal of Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Tags: J Immunol Source Type: research