Identification of HLA-A24-binding peptides of Mycobacterium tuberculosis derived proteins with beta 2m linked HLA-A24 single chain expressing cells.

Tuberculosis is caused by an intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and poses a persistent threat to global health. MHC class I-restricted CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are essential for protective immunity to Tuberculosis. Information for CTL epitopes derived from Mtb is desirable for vaccine design and assessment of T cell responses. However, the knowledge about CTL epitopes of Mtb, particularly those non-A2 HLA alleles restricted is rare. In this study, beta-2-microglobulin (beta 2m, beta(2)m) linked HLA-A24 single chain was expressed on RMA-S cell line defective in the endogenous antigen processing and applied for screening of peptides which could stabilize the HLA-A24 complex on the cell surface. From a group of peptides predicted as binders by a computer algorithm, five peptides were shown to bind to HLA-A24 protein on the cell surface. As comparison we have also identified a dozen Mtb proteins derived peptides that bind to HLA-A2 specifically. The cell line and HLA binders present here would be useful for further identification of CD8 restricted Mtb epitopes.