Announcing Astarte's first human T cell line: BC3, a human T cell line specific for myelin basic protein.

Autoimmune T cells are believed to be the proximate cause of multiple sclerosis (MS). T cells specific for myelin antigens cause inflammatory demyelination in animal models of MS and have been extensively studied for decades. Myelin basic protein is the myelin antigen that has been most studied and MBP specific T cells have been detected in patients with MS.

The BC3 cell line was isolated from a normal 56 year old Caucasian man. In vitro stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with a peptide of MBP was used to select for peptide reactive T cells. The peptide used (ENPVVHFFKNIVTPRTP) is believed to be the immunodominant epitope. The HLA restriction of this cell line is not known but this peptide binds most readily to HLA-DRβ1*1501, an allele expressed by this donor. The cells also recognize the peptide FFKNIVTPRTPPPSQGK, thus the minimal epitope for this line is FFKNIVTPRTP.

The cells secrete interferon gamma and TNF alpha upon stimulation.

Instructions for maintaining the cells in culture can be accessed by clicking on the link in the table below.