3rd International Conference on Applied Crystallography
Atlanta, USA
Dirk M Zajonc
La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, USA
Title: Design of lipid and peptide antigens for immune cells using X-ray crystallography
Biography
Biography: Dirk M Zajonc
Abstract
T cells are potent effector cells of the immune system that control infection and tumorigenesis but can also lead to autoimmunity when they respond too strongly to self-antigen. While the majority of T cells are specific to peptides presented by the Major Histocompatibility Complex I and II (MHC I and II) molecules, a small population of T cells respond to lipids when an by the non-classical MHC I homolog CD1d. Extensive functional and structural data has been accumulated that allows for the design of altered glycolipid ligands that modulate immune responses toward infection and tumorigenesis. We further obtained novel insights into the unconventional presentation of peptides that aa us to design altered peptide ligands with novel functions. The structural basis and functional consequences of both lipid and peptide antigen recognition by the immune system will be discussed.