title: Recognition of an immunoglobulin VH epitope by influenza virus-specific class I major histocompatibility complex-restricted cytolytic T lymphocytes.
abstract: There are two immunogenic sites on the type A influenza A/Japan/57 (H2N2) hemagglutinin (HA) that can be recognized by class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC), H-2Kd-restricted cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs). One of these sites encompasses two distinct partially overlapping epitopes, which span HA residues 204-212 and 210-219. During the analysis of the fine specificity of CTL clones directed to the HA 210-219 epitope, we found that one clone 40-2 also recognized the myeloma cell line P3x63-Ag8. P3x63-Ag8 is derived from the MOPC 21 myeloma and expresses an immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain variable region (VH) gene which is a member of the murine 7183 VH gene family. Recognition was specific for the endogenously processed MOPC 21 heavy chain in association with the Kd molecules, since the SP2/0 derivative of P3x63-Ag8, which does not make a functional Ig H chain, is not recognized. The VH epitope recognized by clone 40-2 could be mapped to a 10 amino acid peptide spanning MOPC 21 VH residues 49-58. Cross-reactivity for the VH gene product was also demonstrable in some heterogeneous populations of CTL generated in response to influenza virus infection. These results represent the first demonstration of cross-reactivity for an endogenously processed product of a self-Ig by the CTL directed to a foreign antigen and raise the possibility that the Ig VH expression may regulate the CD8+ T cell response to foreign antigens.
authors.affiliation: Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Myers-Powell
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Braciale
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology*; D006825:Hybridomas; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D010455:Peptides