title: Detection of aberrant association of DM with MHC class II subunits in the absence of invariant chain.
abstract: Human HLA-DM or mouse H2-DM plays a vital role for presentation of antigenic sequences by MHC class II peptide receptors. These non-classical MHC class II molecules catalyze the release of the invariant chain (Ii) fragment CLIP from the class II cleft and facilitate acquisition of antigenic peptides by MHC class II peptide receptors. H2-DM- or Ii-deficient mice display an impaired ability of their antigen-presenting cell to present peptides to CD4+ T cells and a molecular link between the immunodeficiencies of these mouse strains may exist. We show that in transfected cells the presence of HLA-DM molecules in endocytic vesicles was strongly reduced when HLA-DM was accompanied by HLA-DR. Exclusion of HLA-DM from endocytic vesicles is explained by mixed association of HLA-DM with HLA-DR subunits and retention of the aggregates in the endoplasmic reticulum. Expression of Ii, however, impairs formation of mixed HLA-DR and HLA-DM complexes and directs matched pairing of HLA-DR and HLA-DM heterodimers. In Ii gene-deficient mice, aberrant association of H2A with H2-DM polypeptides was detected. Low expression of Ii in transgenic mice inhibits interaction of H2A with H2-DM subunits and facilitates formation of H2-DM alphabeta heterodimers. A role of Ii for assembly of H2-DM heterodimers partially explains the immunodeficient phenotype of Ii-/- mice.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunobiology, Institute of Genetics, University of Bonn, Römerstrasse 164, 53117 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: König
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics*; D019556:COS Cells; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D019281:Dimerization; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D014162:Transfection; D022161:Transport Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D006681:HLA-D Antigens; C084245:HLA-DM antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; C045084:invariant chain