The study of how antigens and superantigens are presented to T cell has always been a great challenge to immunologists. Mainly because the understanding of how subtle changes in the interaction of the T cell receptor (TCR) with its ligands affect the development of an immune response opens the possibility that this knowledge could be used to treat various immunopathological conditions. Bacterial superantigens are of clinical relevance since they cause diseases in human, but also for their potential as immunotherapeutic agents. More fundamentally, SAgs have always been valuable tools in gaining insights into the mechanisms of T cell activation by major histocompatibility complex (MHC)/peptide ligands. The work presented in this thesis addresses structural, as well as functional aspects of the interaction between SAg, major histocompatibility class II molecules and T cell receptor. Finally, some of the work presented made use of SAgs as tools to investigate the precise mechanics by which the physiological engagement of the TCR is interpreted into a qualitatively diverse functional response from T cells.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.36031 |
| Date | January 1998 |
| Creators | Lavoie, Pascal. |
| Contributors | Sekaly, Rafick-P. (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Division of Experimental Medicine.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001681509, proquestno: NQ55352, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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