Exon-shuffled constructs between mouse (IA beta b) and human (DR3 beta) class II beta chains were made to study the interaction sites between CD4 and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules, and to determine whether a species barrier is involved. The overall structure and the peptide binding groove appeared to be unaffected by the exon shuffling procedure as determined by monoclonal antibody and peptide binding assays, respectively. While purified CD4+ BALB/c T cells responded strongly in a mixed leukocyte reaction to transfectants expressing the whole IA molecule, the response to IA molecules containing a DR beta 2 domain was substantially reduced. In addition, the presence of an IA beta 2 domain in DR failed to restore the weak xenoreactivity to the whole DR molecule. Similar observations were made with murine HEL-specific, IA alpha k beta b-restricted T cell hybridomas which responded significantly stronger to the whole compared with the exon-shuffled IA molecules. The involvement of CD4 in these differential responses was confirmed by the observation that CD4 loss variants responded to both molecules comparably, and transfection of CD4 into these cells restored the parental phenotype. In contrast, CD4 loss variants transfected with human CD4 responded equally to both the whole and the exon-shuffled molecules. Taken together, these data imply the existence of a partial species barrier, and suggest that CD4 interacts with the beta 2 domain of MHC class II molecules, probably in addition to other contact sites. Models for the interaction of CD4 with MHC class II molecules are presented.
Improved methods for predicting peptide binding affinity to MHC class II molecules