Immunogenicity of self antigens is unrelated to MHC-binding affinity: T-cell determinant structure of Golli-MBP in the BALB/c mouse.

The 'classical' myelin basic protein (MBP) exons belong to a much larger unit, termed the 'Golli-MBP' gene. Here we have examined the T-cell determinant structure of the Golli protein region in the BALB/c mouse. Golli p10-24, which was shown to have the strongest affinity for I-A(d), could not induce T-cell activation. Paradoxically, the poorer binding, overlapping p5-19 was effective at inducing T-cell proliferation. Thus, immunogenicity is not necessarily related to the MHC-binding affinity of self-peptides. In addition, MBP: p151-168-specific T cell clones responded only poorly to J37, a Golli-MBP protein, while MBP: 59-76-specific clones responded well to J37.