Universal epitopes for human CD4(+) cells on tetanus and diphtheria toxins

Previous studies suggested that tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (TTD and DTD , respectively) contain "universal" epitopes for human CD4(+) cells (residu es 632-651 and 950-969 of TTD and 271-290, 321-350, 351-370, 411-430, and 4 31-450 of DTD). To investigate whether CD4(+) cells of 100 randomly selecte d subjects recognized those sequences, the proliferation of CD4+ cell-enric hed blood lymphocytes to TTD and DTD and individual synthetic universal epi topes was measured. CD4(+) cells of 98 subjects recognized both toroids, th ose of 1 subject only TTD, and those of 1 only DTD. The TTD peptides and DT D peptides 271-290 and 331-350 were recognized by greater than or equal to 80% of the toroid-sensitized subjects. The other DTD sequences were recogni zed by 63%-71% of subjects, DR-homozygous subjects recognized several unive rsal epitopes less frequently than did DR-heterozygous subjects. The intens ity of responses to the epitope peptides correlated with that to TTD or DTD , consistent with recognition of the peptides by CD4(+) cells specific for the cognate toroid.