Mass Spectrometric Identification and Molecular Modeling of Glycopeptides Presented by MHC Class I and II Processing Pathways

Abstract

Aberrant glycosylation is a hallmark of cancer that contributes to the disease’s ability to evade the immune system. As the MHC processing pathways communicate cellular health to circulating CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells, MHC-associated glycopeptides are likely a source of neoantigens in cancer. In fact, recent advances in mass spectrometry have allowed for the detection and sequencing of tumor-specific glycopeptides from the MHC class I and class II processing pathways. Here, we describe methods for detecting, sequencing, and modeling these MHC-associated glycopeptides.