Presentation of Cytosolic Glycosylated Peptides by Human Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex Molecules in Vivo

Antigens presented by class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules for recognition by cytotoxic T lymphocytes consist of 8–10-amino-acid-long cytosolic peptides. It is not known whether posttranslationally modified peptides are also presented by class I MHC molecules in vivo. Many different posttranslational modifications occur on cytoplasmic proteins, including a cytosolic O-β-linked glycosylation of serine and threonine residues with N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). Using synthetic glycopeptides carrying the monosaccharide O-β-GlcNAc substitution on serine residues, we have shown that glycopeptides bind efficiently to class I MHC molecules and elicit a glycopeptide-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte response in mice. In this study, we provide evidence that peptides presented by human class I MHC molecules in vivo encompass a small, significant amount of glycopeptides, constituting up to 0.1% of total peptide. Furthermore, we find that carbohydrate structures present on glycopeptides isolated from class I MHC molecules are dominated by the cytosolic O-β-GlcNAc substitution, and synthetic peptides carrying this substitution are efficiently transported by TAP (transporter asso