T-CELL RECOGNITION OF NONPEPTIDE ANTIGENS

Studies of two distinct human T-cell systems have provided the excitin g finding that T cells are able to recognize non-peptide antigens: gam ma delta T cells have been shown to recognize isopentenyl pyrophosphat e and related structures and human CD1 has been shown to present micro bial lipids and lipoglycans such as mycolic acids and lipoarabinomanna n to T cells. T-cell responses to these non-peptide antigens should pr ovide a strategic target for immunologic intervention in infectious di sease.