The Ligands of the Class II Major Histocompatibility Complex-Restricted T Cells

Author(s):  
Stéphane Demotz
1992 ◽  
Vol 176 (1) ◽  
pp. 275-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
M A Blackman ◽  
F E Lund ◽  
S Surman ◽  
R B Corley ◽  
D L Woodland

It has been established that at least some V beta 17+ T cells interact with an endogenous superantigen encoded by the murine retrovirus, Mtv-9. To analyze the role of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules in presenting the Mtv-9 encoded superantigen, vSAG-9 to V beta 17+ hybridomas, a panel of nine hybridomas was tested for their ability to respond to A20/2J (H-2d) and LBK (H-2a) cells which had been transfected with the vSAG-9 gene. Whereas some of the hybridomas recognized vSAG-9 exclusively in the context of H-2a, other hybridomas recognized vSAG-9 exclusively in the context of H-2d or in the context of both H-2d and H-2a. These results suggest that: (a) the class II MHC molecule plays a direct role in the recognition of retroviral superantigen by T cells, rather than serving simply as a platform for presentation; and, (b) it is likely that components of the TCR other than V beta are involved in the vSAG-9/TCR/class II interaction.


1996 ◽  
Vol 184 (5) ◽  
pp. 1747-1753 ◽  
Author(s):  
J F Katz ◽  
C Stebbins ◽  
E Appella ◽  
A J Sant

We have studied the consequences of invariant chain (Ii) and DM expression on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II function. Ii has a number of discrete functions in the biology of class II, including competitive blocking of peptide binding in the endoplasmic reticulum and enhancing localization in the endocytic compartments. DM is thought to act primarily in endosomes to promote dissociation of the Ii-derived (CLIP) peptide from the class II antigen-binding pocket and subsequent peptide loading. In this study, we have evaluated the functional role of Ii and DM by examining their impact on surface expression of epitopes recognized by a large panel of alloreactive T cells. We find most epitopes studied are influenced by both Ii and DM. Most strikingly, we find that surface expression of a significant fraction of peptide-class II complexes is extinguished, rather than enhanced, by DM expression within the APC. The epitopes antagonized by DM do not appear to be specific for CLIP. Finally, we found that DM was also able to extinguish recognition of a defined peptide derived from the internally synthesized H-2Ld protein. Thus, rather than primarily serving in the removal of CLIP, DM may have a more generalized function of editing the array of peptides that are presented by class II. This editing can be either positive or negative, suggesting that DM plays a specifying role in the display of peptides presented to CD4 T cells.


1995 ◽  
Vol 181 (2) ◽  
pp. 641-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
M A Maldonado ◽  
R A Eisenberg ◽  
E Roper ◽  
P L Cohen ◽  
B L Kotzin

Mice homozygous for the lpr gene have a defect in fas (CD95), a cell surface receptor that belongs to the tumor necrosis factor receptor family and that mediates apoptosis. This genetic abnormality results in lymphoproliferation characterized by the accumulation of CD4-CD8- (double negative [DN]) T cells, autoantibody production, and background strain-dependent, end-organ disease. Our previous results suggested that major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I may be involved in the development of DN cells. To test this hypothesis, we derived C57BL/6-lpr/lpr (B6/lpr) mice that were deficient for the beta 2-microglobulin gene (beta 2m lpr) and had no detectable class I expression. At 6 mo of age, compared with B6/lpr littermates with normal class I genes, these mice showed greatly reduced lymphadenopathy, mostly due to a dramatic decrease in the number of DN cells. Significant changes in the percentage of other T cell subsets were noted, but only gamma/delta+ T cells showed a marked increase in both percentage and absolute numbers. Analysis of T cell receptor V beta expression of the remaining DN T cells in beta 2m -lpr mice showed a shift to a CD4-like repertoire from a CD8-like repertoire in control B6/lpr mice, indicating that a small MHC class II selected DN population was unmasked in lpr mice lacking class I. We also found that the production of immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies (antichromatin and anti-single stranded DNA), total IgG and IgG2a, but not total IgM or IgM rheumatoid factor, was significantly reduced in the beta 2m -lpr mice. This work suggests that >90% of DN T cells in lpr mice are derived from the CD8 lineage and are selected on class I. However, a T cell subset selected on class II and T cells expressing gamma/delta are also affected by the lpr defect and become minor components of the aberrant DN population.


1993 ◽  
Vol 178 (2) ◽  
pp. 589-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
T M Laufer ◽  
M G von Herrath ◽  
M J Grusby ◽  
M B Oldstone ◽  
L H Glimcher

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is an autoimmune disease marked by hyperglycemia and mononuclear cell infiltration of insulin-producing beta islet cells. Predisposition to IDDM in humans has been linked to the class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC), and islet cells often become aberrantly class II positive during the course of the disease. We have used two recently described transgenic lines to investigate the role of class II molecules and CD4+ T cells in the onset of autoimmune insulitis. Mice that are class II deficient secondary to a targeted disruption of the A beta b gene were bred to mice carrying a transgene for the lymphocytic choriomenigitis virus (LCMV) glycoprotein (GP) targeted to the endocrine pancreas. Our results indicate that class II-deficient animals with and without the GP transgene produce a normal cytotoxic T lymphocyte response to whole LCMV. After infection with LCMV, GP-transgenic class II-deficient animals develop hyperglycemia as rapidly as their class II-positive littermates. Histologic examination of tissue sections from GP-transgenic class II-deficient animals reveals lymphocytic infiltrates of the pancreatic islets that are distinguishable from those of their class II-positive littermates only by the absence of infiltrating CD4+ T cells. These results suggest that in this model of autoimmune diabetes, CD4+ T cells and MHC class II molecules are not required for the development of disease.


1990 ◽  
Vol 172 (5) ◽  
pp. 1341-1346 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Benichou ◽  
P A Takizawa ◽  
P T Ho ◽  
C C Killion ◽  
C A Olson ◽  
...  

Mechanisms involved in self-antigen processing and presentation are crucial in understanding the induction of self-tolerance in the thymus. We examined the immunogenicity of determinants from major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules that are expressed in the thymus and have tested peptides derived from the polymorphic regions of class I and class II molecules. We found that two peptides corresponding to NH2 termini of the class II alpha and beta chains (Ak alpha 1-18 and Ak beta 1-16) could bind to self-Ak molecules with high affinity and, surprisingly, were immunogenic in that they could elicit strong proliferative T cell responses in B10.A mice (Ak, Ek). Neonatal injection of peptide Ak beta 1-16 resulted in complete unresponsiveness to this peptide at 8 wk of age showing that these T cells were susceptible to tolerance induction. We have also tested certain class I MHC peptides and showed that some can interact efficiently with class II MHC peptides to induce an autoreactive T cell proliferative response. Among these class I peptides is one (Dd 61-85) that has the capacity to bind to self-Ia without being immunogenic, and therefore represents an MHC determinant that had induced thymic self-tolerance. We conclude that some self-MHC molecules can be processed into peptides that can be presented in the context of intact class II molecules at the surface of antigen-presenting cells. Autoreactive T cells recognizing optimally processed self-peptide/MHC complexes are eliminated during development, whereas other potentially autoreactive T cells escape clonal inactivation or deletion. Incomplete tolerance to self-antigens enriches the T cell repertoire despite the fact that such T cells may eventually become involved in autoimmune disease.


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