The immunogenomics of minor histocompatibility antigens.
Minor histocompatibility (H) antigens are a diverse assemblage of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-bound peptides with the unifying property of acting as alloantigens that induce allogeneic tissue rejection. They are a consequence of any form of accumulated genetic variation that translates to differential MHC-presented peptide epitopes, the most common form of which is simple sequence polymorphisms. The universe of potential minor H antigens is large when transplantation is performed between genetically unrelated, MHC-matched individuals, especially considering the remarkable discriminative sensitivity of T cells. However, the phenomenon of immunodominance greatly simplifies immune responses that ensue. One mouse minor H antigen, H60, stands out in that the preponderance of the CD8 T cell response elicited in a complex alloantigenic setting is directed against this single minor H antigen epitope. Its immunodominance is because mice lacking H60 develop an unusually robust T cell repertoire dedicated to this single minor H antigen. The now well-characterized mouse minor H antigen system should provide a vehicle to assess the degree to which immunodominant alloantigens contribute to transplant rejection.
Roopenian
Derry
D
The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609, USA. dcr@jax.org
Choi
Eun Young
EY
Brown
Aaron
A
D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D014644:Genetic Variation; D023281:Genomics; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006182:H-Y Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008912:Minor Histocompatibility Loci; D018448:Models, Immunological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D006182:H-Y Antigen