Data from: Illuminating T cell-dendritic cell interactions in vivo by FlAsHing antigens

Delineating the complex network of interactions between antigen-specific T
cells and antigen presenting cells (APCs) is crucial for effective
precision therapies against cancer, chronic infections, and autoimmunity.
However, the existing arsenal for examining antigen-specific T cell
interactions is restricted to a select few antigen-T cell receptor pairs,
with limited in situ utility. This lack of versatility is largely due to
the disruptive effects of reagents on the immune synapse, which hinder
real-time monitoring of antigen-specific interactions. To address this
limitation, we have developed a novel and versatile immune monitoring
strategy by adding a short cysteine-rich tag to antigenic peptides that
emits fluorescence upon binding to thiol-reactive biarsenical hairpin
compounds. Our findings demonstrate the specificity and durability of the
novel antigen-targeting probes during dynamic immune monitoring in vitro
and in vivo. This strategy opens new avenues for biological validation of
T-cell receptors with newly identified epitopes by revealing the behavior
of previously unrecognized antigen-receptor pairs, expanding our
understanding of T cell responses.