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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Use of Single Chain MHC Technology to Investigate Co-agonism in Human CD8+ T Cell Activation
Published on: February 28, 2019
MHC-I-restricted melanoma antigen specific TCR-engineered human CD4+ T cells exhibit multifunctional effector and
Swagatam Ray1, Arvind Chhabra, Nitya G Chakraborty
1Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, USA.
MHC class I-restricted human melanoma epitope MART-1(27-35) specific TCR-engineered CD4+CD25- T cells synthesize Th1 type cytokines and exhibit cytolytic effector function upon cognate stimulation. A detailed characterization of such TCR-engineered CD4+CD25- T cells now reveals that they are multifunctional. For example, they undergo multiple rounds of division, synthesize cytokines (IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-2, and MIP1ss), lyse target cells, and "help" the expansion of the MART-1(27-35) specific CD8+ T cells when stimulated by the MART-1(27-35) peptide pulsed DC. Multiparametric analyses reveal that a single TCR-engineered CD4+ T cell can perform as many as five different functions. Nearly 100% MART-1(27-35) specific TCR expressing CD4+ T cells can be generated through retroviral vector-based transduction and one round of in vitro stimulation by the peptide pulsed DC. MHC class I-restricted tumor epitope specific TCR transduced CD4+ T cells, therefore, could be useful in immunotherapeutic strategies for melanoma or other human malignancies.
MHC class I-restricted human melanoma epitope MART-1(27-35) specific TCR-engineered CD4+CD25- T cells synthesize Th1 type cytokines and exhibit cytolytic effector function upon cognate stimulation. A detailed characterization of such TCR-engineered CD4+CD25- T cells now reveals that they are multifunctional. For example, they undergo multiple rounds of division, synthesize cytokines (IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-2, and MIP1ss), lyse target cells, and "help" the expansion of the MART-1(27-35) specific CD8+ T cells when stimulated by the MART-1(27-35) peptide pulsed DC. Multiparametric analyses reveal that a single TCR-engineered CD4+ T cell can perform as many as five different functions. Nearly 100% MART-1(27-35) specific TCR expressing CD4+ T cells can be generated through retroviral vector-based transduction and one round of in vitro stimulation by the peptide pulsed DC. MHC class I-restricted tumor epitope specific TCR transduced CD4+ T cells, therefore, could be useful in immunotherapeutic strategies for melanoma or other human malignancies.
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