HLA-DQ is epistatic to HLA-DR in controlling the immune response to schistosomal antigen in humans.
Antigens that produce an antibody response in some members of a species may fail to do so in others. The response to an antigen is controlled by a gene termed the immune response (Ir) gene, which is transmitted as a single dominant trait. We have provided evidence for similar immune suppression (Is) genes which control non-responsiveness through the antigen specific suppressor T cell. The non-responsiveness is also dominantly inherited and the Is genes are linked to the histocompatibility (HLA) antigen system. Here we report that the HLA-DR2 molecule from a non-responder haplotype (HLA-Dw12-DR2-DQwl) is required for the proliferative T cell response to schistosoma japonicum (Sj) antigen, as a restriction element, indicating that the HLA-DR2 is the product of the Ir gene, and that the HLA-DQwl molecule of the non-responder haplotype is important in the antigen-specific suppression of the response to this antigen, suggesting that it is the product of the Is gene. We therefore conclude that the HLA-DR and DQ molecules, which are controlled by the distinct genes in the MHC multigene family, regulate immune response and immune suppression and that the gene for HLA-DQ is epistatic to that for HLA-DR in controlling the immune response to schistosomal antigen in humans.
D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens