Major histocompatibility complex class II association and induction of T cell responses by carbohydrates and glycopeptides

In the following study we have investigated whether the inability to generate T cell immunity against carbohydrate antigens is the result of a failure of carbohydrates to form a complex with class II MHC molecules or a deficiency of carbohydratespecific T cells in the immune repertoire. These possibilities were examined by, first, determining the MHC binding capacity of pure carbohydrate molecules and, second, by assessing whether carbohydrate-specific T cells could be induced against a glycosylated T cell peptide epitope which had the capacity to interact with class II MHC restriction elements.