T cell recognition of beryllium.

ABSTRACT: Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) is a granulomatous lung disorder caused by a hypersensitivity to beryllium and characterized by the accumulation of beryllium-specific CD4(+) T cells in the lung. Genetic susceptibility to beryllium-induced disease is strongly associated with HLA-DP alleles possessing a glutamic acid at the 69th position of the ?-chain (?Glu69). The structure of HLA-DP2, the most prevalent ?Glu69-containing molecule, revealed a unique solvent-exposed acidic pocket that includes ?Glu69 and represents the putative beryllium-binding site. The delineation of mimotopes and endogenous self-peptides that complete the ??TCR ligand for beryllium-specific CD4(+) T cells suggests a unique role of these peptides in metal ion coordination and the generation of altered self-peptides, blurring the distinction between hypersensitivity and autoimmunity.

SUBMITTER: Dai S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3883670 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature