EpiScreen® 2.0 T Cell Epitope Mapping

In T cell epitope mapping studies, 15mer peptides with a 12–amino acid overlap are synthesized to span the test sequence. These peptides are tested against PBMCs from 50 donors, providing more than 80 percent DRB1 allotypic coverage of the global population. Peptides may displace those already bound to MHC Class II or be taken up by antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic cells, which process and present them as linear peptides bound in MHC Class II grooves. Binding of the T-cell receptor to these peptide–MHC complexes on CD4+ T cells triggers activation and proliferation. T-cell activation is measured through EdU uptake, forming a key component of Abzena’s immunogenicity assays and broader immunogenicity assay development workflows.

Significant immunogenicity is assessed using predetermined statistical criteria, including a T-test, to evaluate the magnitude of the T-cell response based on stimulation index values normalized to background or vehicle controls.

Core sequences are then defined by comparing overlapping immunogenic peptides, allowing precise identification of T cell epitope mapping results that inform ongoing immunogenicity assay development.