Direct Detection of T cell Mediated Immune Responses Using Peptide MHCs (pMHCs) Displayed on Multimeric Protein Scaffolds

The recognition of peptide-MHC (pMHC) complexes by T cells is the cornerstone of cellular immunity, enabling the elimination of infected or tumoral cells. pMHC can thus be leveraged as a detection tool for T cells. The molecule naturally exists in a monomeric form, which impedes easy detection of T cells due to their weak equilibrium dissociation with the lymphocyte. To overcome this limitation, inventors at Stanford have developed a flexible pMHC display system on a self-assembling protein scaffold. Termed a spheromer, the platform has high compatibility with currently available pMHC molecules and streptavidin reagents that are routinely used for T cell analysis. Due to its increased specificity and sensitivity, the pMHC-spheromer platform overcomes the current limitations of existing T cell detection platforms. The platform is a valuable tool that can be used for the detection, isolation, and activation of antigen-specific T cells, enabling the successful tracking and modulation of the adaptive immune response.