title: Alloreactive T cell recognition of the HLA-DR beta N-terminal polymorphic region.
abstract: T cell alloreactivity, originally discovered as a tissue transplantation effect, is believed to be a manifestation of the normal major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restriction of antigen presentation by accessory cells to T cells. The molecular features of the human class II-MHC proteins (HLA) which are recognized by alloreactive T cells are not at present understood, although they are clearly related to the polymorphic nature of the MHC proteins. Human CD4+ T cell clones were selected by response to the HLA-DR2 peptides beta 1-15 or beta 51-65, in an MHC-restricted manner. In addition, these clones respond to cell lines expressing the DR2 haplotype, without the requirement for accessory antigen presenting cells. DR2 beta peptide 1-15 blocks the T cell alloresponse and polymorphic residues are shown to stimulate the peptide-specific response of these clones. Thus, the polymorphic residues contained within the DR beta sequence 1-15 are demonstrated to be directly recognized by alloreactive T cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: M Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Atassi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D007519:Isoantigens; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007519:Isoantigens; D010455:Peptides