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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Identification of Mediators of T-cell Receptor Signaling via the Screening of Chemical Inhibitor Libraries
Published on: January 22, 2019
Trimethoprim stimulates T-cells through metabolism-dependent and -independent pathways
Sabah El-Ghaiesh1, Joseph P Sanderson, John Farrell
1MRC Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Pharmacology, University of Liverpool, Sherrington Building, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, England.
Abstract:
Pathways of drug-specific T-cell stimulation have not been fully defined. The aim of this study was to use T-cell clones from a patient hypersensitive to the drug trimethoprim to characterize the involvement of drug metabolism and processing in antigen presentation and cross-reactivity patterns. The MHC-restricted CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell response was dependent on the presence of antigen-presenting cells, and both processing-dependent and -independent pathways of antigen presentation were detected. Stimulation of certain clones was blocked through inhibition of drug-metabolizing enzyme activity. Trimethoprim clones were additionally stimulated with diaveridine and pyrimethamine but not other closely related structures.
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