Molloy Peter E, Sewell Andrew K, Jakobsen Bent K
Avidex Limited, 57C Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RX, UK.
Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2005 Aug;5(4):438-43. doi: 10.1016/j.coph.2005.02.004.
T cell receptors are antigen-specific proteins that have evolved to recognize peptide antigens presented by human leukocyte antigen molecules on most cell types. Like antibodies, T cell receptors are produced with huge diversity but, unlike antibodies, T cell receptors are not secreted and do not undergo somatic mutations that increase their affinities for antigen. Recently, however, methods have been developed that enable T cell receptors to be engineered as soluble proteins with extremely high affinities, and fused to various immune-modulator molecules. T cell receptors are now set to unlock a whole new range of targets with key roles in cancer, viral infections, autoimmune diseases and allergies.
T细胞受体是抗原特异性蛋白质，其进化目的是识别大多数细胞类型上由人类白细胞抗原分子呈递的肽抗原。与抗体一样，T细胞受体以巨大的多样性产生，但与抗体不同的是，T细胞受体不会分泌，也不会经历增加其对抗原亲和力的体细胞突变。然而，最近已经开发出一些方法，能够将T细胞受体工程化为具有极高亲和力的可溶性蛋白质，并与各种免疫调节分子融合。T细胞受体现在有望解锁一系列在癌症、病毒感染、自身免疫性疾病和过敏中起关键作用的全新靶点。
