Epitope repertoire of human CD4⁺ T cells on tetanus toxin: Identification of immunodominant sequence segments

Sequence regions of tetanus toxin-forming CD4⁺ cell epitopes in 8 HLA- disparate subjects were identified. Overlapping synthetic peptides corresponding to the complete tetanus toxin sequence were used to test, in a proliferation assay, unselected blood CD4⁺ cells or CD4⁺ cell lines propagated by stimulation with tetanus toxoid. The CD4⁺ cell lines recognized most peptides recognized by the blood CD4⁺ cells and they recognized additional peptides. Their responses were stronger than those of unselected blood CD4⁺ cells. Two peptides were recognized by all subjects: one largely overlapped a tetanus toxin sequence region previously identified as a 'universal' T cell epitope. Thirteen other peptides elicited a CD4⁺ cell response in 6 or 7 of the 8 subjects, and another 10 elicited responses in 5 subjects.