The B cell antigen receptor (BCR) is a multi-protein complex on the surface of B cells that consists of a membrane bound immunoglobulin (mlg) and a non-covalently associated heterodimer, Ig-alpha/Ig-beta. Each mature B cell expresses multiple copies of a BCR specific for a unique antigen. Crosslinking of the BCR by multivalent antigens initiates a signaling cascade that leads ultimately to cellular proliferation and differentiation into antibody-secreting plasma cells and memory B cells. The B cell coreceptor complex of CD19 and CD21 functions synergistically with the BCR to reduce the threshold for B cell activation. This proposal outlines a strategy for the design and synthesis of multivalent scaffolds that display multiple antigenic epitopes for the BCR and C3d peptide mimetics that bind to CD21. These ligands will allow us to begin to elucidate the structural requirements for CD19/CD21 signal amplification. ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
5F32AI054092-03
Application #
6909131
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-F07 (20))
Program Officer
Prograis, Lawrence J
Project Start
2003-07-01
Project End
2006-06-30
Budget Start
2005-07-01
Budget End
2006-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$49,928
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Wisconsin Madison
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Schools of Earth Sciences/Natur
DUNS #
161202122
City
Madison
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53715
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Puffer, Erik B; Pontrello, Jason K; Hollenbeck, Jessica J et al. (2007) Activating B cell signaling with defined multivalent ligands. ACS Chem Biol 2:252-62