Volume 1 Issue 1
Anastasios E. Germenis* Menelaos N. Manoussakis Georgios S.E. Antipas
The molecular mechanisms underlying the intrinsic ability of T cell receptors (TCRs) to recognize a broad range of pMHC (peptide bound to molecules of major histocompatibility complex) ligands resulting in activation of only a subset of effector functions (partial or weak agonists) or in inhibition of the T cell's ability to respond to agonist stimulation (antagonists) has been the subject of much investigation. Thermodynamic and kinetic studies have been undertaken describing different T cell outcomes based on strength of signal of TCR-pMHC interaction. Nevertheless, the strength of signal has not been well defined and theories of how the biochemistry of pMHC interactions impact downstream immunological responses are all still debated as none of them explain all available experimental data. We have recently established that certain descriptors associated to the atomic structure of the peptide and its underlying electronic structure reflect the immunological outcome of the in vitro TCR-pMHC interactions. Our finding that atomic coordination is directly correlated to peptide immunogenicity represents the first example of a direct relationship between peptide atomic/electronic structure and TCR-pMHC functional avidity. The technological ability to define and predict peptide immunogenicity -particularly if this ability only involves some minimal determinism intrinsic to quantum mechanics- constitutes visionary science; such a possibility has far reaching implications, which transcend the TCR-pMHC complex and touch upon the generic issue of protein-protein interaction.
Cite this Article: Germenis AE, Manoussakis MN, Antipas GSE. The Dawn of Quantum Immunology. Sci J Immunol Immunother. 2016;1(1): 003-006.
Published: 03 January 2016
Charles T. Spencer*
If we have learnt anything from recent times, it's that we cannot neglect neglected diseases. This term has categorized the unpopular diseases to which little public attention, and public funds, have been devoted. These are often diseases of zoonotic or tropical original which only rarely infect humans. However, it is precisely these diseases that can wreak havoc on naive populations.
Cite this Article: Spencer CT. Don't Neglect Neglected Diseases. Sci J Immunol Immunother. 2016;1(1): 001-002.
Published: 03 January 2016
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