Induction of T-cell response to cryptic MHC determinants during allograft rejection.
The presentation of MHC peptides by recipient and donor antigen presenting cells is an essential element in allorecognition and allograft rejection. MHC proteins contains two sets of determinants: the dominant determinants that are efficiently processed and presented to T cells, and the cryptic determinants that are not presented sufficiently enough to induce T-cell responses in vivo. In transplanted mice, initial T-cell response to MHC peptides is consistently limited to a single or a few immunodominant determinants on donor MHC molecule. However, in this article we show that under appropriate circumstances the hierarchy of determinants on MHC molecules can be disrupted. First, we observed that gamma IFN can trigger de novo presentation of cryptic self-MHC peptides by spleen cells. Moreover, we showed that allotransplantation is associated with induction of T-cell responses to formerly cryptic determinants on both syngeneic and allogeneic MHC molecules. Our results suggest that cross-reactivity and inflammation are responsible for the initiation of these auto- and alloimmune responses after transplantation.
Boisgérault
F
F
Cellular and Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Anosova
N G
NG
Tam
R C
RC
Illigens
B M
BM
Fedoseyeva
E V
EV
Benichou
G
G
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000235:genetics; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D017634:Self Tolerance / Q000235:genetics; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014185:Transplantation, Isogeneic
D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D007371:Interferon-gamma