Effects of end groups on the stimulatory capacity of minimal length T cell determinant peptides
Mutch, D.A.; Rodda, S.J.; Benstead, M.; Valerio, R.M.; Geysen, H.M.
Peptide Research 4(3): 132-137
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 1040-5704 PMID: 1823183 Document Number: 385862
We studied the effect of the end groups on the capacity of two closely related peptides to stimulate a human T cell clone. Using multipin peptide synthesis technology, we generated solution phase peptides with six combinations of end groups for each sequence. The end modifications examined were amino-terminal acetylation, carboxyterminal methylamidation or the addition of a peptide containing a diketopeperazine ring. The response to the less stimulatory of the two peptide sequences was significantly increased by acetylation of the amino-terminus, a finding which was consistent at different peptide doses. Amino-terminal acetylation was found to be more significant in affecting responses than any of the carboxy-terminal modifications tested. The use of peptides with a diketopiperazine ring structure at the carboxy-terminus did not interfere with presentation and recognition of peptides and may enhance the effectiveness of peptides for T cell epitope scanning.