Minor H antigens: genes and peptides.
In this review, we describe the evidence from which the existence of non-MHC histocompatibility (H) antigens was deduced, the clinical setting of bone marrow transplantation in which they are important targets for T cell responses, and the current understanding of their molecular identity. We list the peptide epitopes, their MHC restriction molecules and the genes encoding them, of the human and murine minor H antigens now identified at the molecular level. Identification of the peptide epitopes allows T cell responses to these antigens following transplantation of MHC-matched, minor H-mismatched tissues to be enumerated using tetramers and elispot assays. This will facilitate analysis of correlations with HVG, GVH and GVL reactions in vivo. The potential to use minor H peptides to modulate in vivo responses to minor H antigens is discussed. Factors controlling immunodominance of T cell responses to one or a few of many potential minor H antigens remain to be elucidated but are important for making predictions of in vivo HVG, GVH and GVL responses and tailoring therapy after HLA-matched BMT and DLI.
Simpson
E
E
MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK. elizabeth.simpson@csc.mrc.ac.uk
Scott
D
D
James
E
E
Lombardi
G
G
Cwynarski
K
K
Dazzi
F
F
Millrain
M
M
Dyson
P J
PJ
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D005260:Female; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction; D020544:Graft vs Leukemia Effect; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006789:Host vs Graft Reaction; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014181:Transplantation Immunology
D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D010446:Peptide Fragments