Processing, editing, and presenting the MHC class II peptidome

The MHC class II molecules and their associated peptidome are implicated in fundamental immunological processes such as thymic negative and positive selection, peripheral tolerance, immunity and autoimmunity. Although much has been learned about MHC class II association with the invariant chain, MHC class II endosomal and plasma membrane trafficking, and CLIP formation and exchange with peptide ligands, important questions remain about the role of the MHC class II peptidome in immune system function in physiology and pathology.

In this research topic we aim to provide a comprehensive state of the art overview of novel insights into the MHC class II peptidome, including endosomal and non-endosomal antigen processing, MHC class II peptide loading, functional analysis of DM and DO editing molecules, and analysis of the MHC class II peptidome during immune activation, pathogen infection, and autoimmunity.
Potential topics may include, but are not limited to the following areas:

· MHC class II trafficking: endosomes and plasma membrane
· Antigen processing pathways in different cell types
· MHC class II loading: late endosomes, early endosomes and plasma membrane
· Conformational MHC class II variants
· Enzymes involved in processing the MHC class II peptidome
· MHC class II peptidome selection
· Structure and editing function of DM and DO
· Detection of MHC class II complexes