Barry Flutter1 and Bin Gao1, 2
1Infection and Immunity, Institute of Child Health, University College
London, UK.
2Corresponding Author: Infection and Immunity, Institute of Child
Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N
1EH, UK. E-mail: bgao@ich.ucl.ac.uk.
Presentation of antigenic peptide to T cells by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules is the key to the cellular immune response. Non-self intracellular proteins are processed into short peptides and transported into endoplasmic reticulum (ER) where they are assembled with class I molecules assisted by several chaperone proteins to form trimeric complex. MHC class I complex loaded with optimised peptides travels to the cell surface of antigen presentation cells to be recognised by T cells. The cells presenting non-self peptides are cleared by CD8 positive T cells. In order to ensure that T cells detect an infection or mutation within the target cells the process of peptide loading and class I expression must be carefully regulated. Many of the cellular components involved in antigen processing and class I presentation are known and their various functions are now becoming clearer.
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