Variant class II molecules from H-2 haplotypes in wild mouse populations: functional characteristics of closely related class II gene products.
Independently derived haplotypes found in wild populations of mice often express class II molecules antigenically related to specific alleles of the A molecules defined in laboratory mice. Tryptic peptide fingerprint comparisons of these antigenically related molecules indicate that they have similar, or possibly identical, primary structures in the A alpha, A beta, or both subunits. By using the Ak and Ap families of independently derived, antigenically related A molecules, we examined the effect that minor structural variations in the A molecule have on allorecognition by T lymphocytes. Data obtained indicate that a) minor structural variations in the A molecule can effect, although not always, major functional changes in allorecognition, b) changes in allorecognition are always detected when the A beta subunit contains structural variations, but not necessarily when the A alpha subunit contains structural variations, and c) more than one site in the A molecule can be recognized by alloreactive T lymphocytes. These results can be interpreted as indicating that specific sites within the A molecule are critically involved in allorecognition and that structural variations must affect these sites to elicit major changes in allorecognition.
D000483:Alleles; D000828:Animal Population Groups / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000235:genetics*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006238:Haploidy; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D051379:Mice / Q000235:genetics*; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008912:Minor Histocompatibility Loci; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006183:H-2 Antigens