Effect of secondary anchor amino acid substitutions on the immunogenic properties of an HLA-A0201-restricted T cell epitope derived from the Trypanosoma cruzi KMP-11 protein

•Residues 3, 6 and 7 of TcTLE (TLEEFSAKL) peptide are critical for binding affinity.•Amino acids at positions 3, 6 and 7 of TcTLE have limited effect on immunogenicity.•Binding affinity is not the only parameter to evaluate immunogenic peptides. The TcTLE peptide (TLEEFSAKL) is a CD8+ T cell HLA-A*0201-restricted epitope derived from the Trypanosoma cruzi KMP-11 protein that is efficiently processed, presented and recognized by CD8+ T cells from chagasic patients. Since the immunogenic properties of wild-type epitopes may be enhanced by suitable substitutions in secondary anchor residues, we have studied the effect of introducing specific mutations at position 3, 6 and 7 of the TcTLE peptide. Mutations (E3L, S6V and A7F) were chosen on the basis of in silico predictions and in vitro assays were performed to determine the TcTLE-modified peptide binding capacity to the HLA-A*0201 molecule. In addition, the functional activity of peptide-specific CD8+ T cells in HLA-A2+ chagasic patients was also interrogated. In contrast to bioinformatics predictions, the TcTLE-modified peptide was found to have lower binding affinity and stability than the original peptide. Nevertheless, CD8+ T cells from chronic chagasic patients recognized the TcTLE-modified peptide producing TNF-α and INF-γ and expressing CD107a/b, though in less extension than the response triggered by the original peptide. Overall, although the amino acids at positions 3, 6 and 7 of TcTLE are critical for the peptide affinity, they have a limited effect on the immunogenic properties of the TcTLE epitope.