Boc-Cys(Npys)-OH (BCNP): an appropriate reagent for the identification of T cell epitopes in cystine and/or cysteine-containing proteins.

G Mourier, B Maillère, J Cotton, M Hervé, S Leroy, M Léonetti, A Ménez

Index: J. Immunol. Methods 171(1) , 65-71, (1994)

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Abstract

Some T cell epitopes become inactive when their thiols are blocked with various irreversible reagents (Régnier-Vigouroux, 1988; Maillère, 1992; Maillère et al., 1993). Blocking protein and peptide thiols with BCNP (Boc-Cys(Npys)-OH) constitutes a most appropriate strategy when searching for thiol-containing T cell epitopes. Free cysteines can thus be readily transformed into disulphide-like moieties which not only resist undesirable oxidative reactions but which also remain susceptible to reduction by antigen presenting cells, a prerequisite for the activity of thiol-dependent T cell epitopes. We describe the use of this reagent in a study of the intact disulphide-rich protein, toxin alpha from Naja nigricollis, and also two disulphide-containing toxin fragments.