Blocking Superantigen-Mediated Diseases: Challenges and Future Trends

Figure 2

Mechanism by which antigens activate the immune system: endogenous antigens are processed by proteasome into antigenic peptides, which recruit MHC I to the endoplasmic reticulum and bind to it to form the antigenic peptide-MHC I complex. The complex is processed on the Golgi apparatus/endoplasmic reticulum and secreted to the cell membrane surface, and the antigen is presented to CD8 T cells. After processing by lysosomes into antigenic peptides, exogenous antigens recruit MHC II on the endoplasmic reticulum and bind to it to form an antigenic peptide-MHC II complex. After processing by the Golgi apparatus/endoplasmic reticulum, the antigen is secreted to the surface of the cell membrane and presented to CD4 T cells.