Immune response of HLA-DQ transgenic mice to house dust mite allergen p2: identification of HLA-DQ restricted minimal epitopes and critical residues.

Using a series of single amino acid truncation at the amino or carboxy terminus of the peptide Der p 2 (1-20), the authors establish that the epitope is the minimal epitope for T cell recognition in HLA-DQ8 transgenic mice immunized with the peptide Der p 2 (1-20). Using peptides with single alanine substitutions of Der p 2 (3-12), the authors infer that residues Asp4, Val5, Cys7, His11, and Glu12 are critical for immune recognition in HLA-DQ8 mice immunized with the epitope.