Stress proteins and immunity mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes

Chaperone molecules, including members of the heat shock protein family, ar e able to stimulate alpha beta and gamma delta T cells as well as natural k iller cells. For alpha beta T cells, specificity is induced by chaperone-as sisted peptides; this has lead to detailed investigations of peptides that bind to these chaperones and their possible role in antigen presentation.