Affiliation:
1. Center for Vaccine Innovation La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) La Jolla California
2. Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health University of California, San Diego (UCSD) La Jolla California
Abstract
AbstractEpitopes recognized by T cells are a collection of short peptide fragments derived from specific antigens or proteins. Immunological research to study T cell responses is hindered by the extreme degree of heterogeneity of epitope targets, which are usually derived from multiple antigens; within a given antigen, hundreds of different T cell epitopes can be recognized, differing from one individual to the next because T cell epitope recognition is restricted by the epitopes’ ability to bind to MHC molecules, which are extremely polymorphic in different individuals. Testing large pools encompassing hundreds of peptides is technically challenging because of logistical considerations regarding solvent‐induced toxicity. To address this issue, we developed the MegaPool (MP) approach based on sequential lyophilization of large numbers of peptides that can be used in a variety of assays to measure T cell responses, including ELISPOT, intracellular cytokine staining, and activation‐induced marker assays, and that has been validated in the study of infectious diseases, allergies, and autoimmunity. Here, we describe the procedures for generating and testing MPs, starting with peptide synthesis and lyophilization, as well as a step‐by‐step guide and recommendations for their handling and experimental usage. Overall, the MP approach is a powerful strategy for studying T cell responses and understanding the immune system's role in health and disease. © 2023 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.Basic Protocol 1: Generation of peptide pools (“MegaPools”)Basic Protocol 2: MegaPool testing and quantitation of antigen‐specific T cell responses
Subject
Medical Laboratory Technology,Health Informatics,General Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics,General Immunology and Microbiology,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,General Neuroscience