Distinct HLA-DR epitopes and distinct families of HLA-Dr molecules defined by 15 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) either anti-DR or allo-anti-Iak cross-reacting with human DR molecule. I. Cross-inhibition studies of mAb cell surface fixation and differential binding of mAb to detergent-solubilized HLA molecules immobilized to a solid phase by a first mAb

A series of HLA-DR-reactive mouse anti-human B cell or anti-Ia monoclonal antibodies (mAb) have been used to explore the serological complexity of human class II antigens at the determinant level, using two techniques: (a) cross antibody-binding competitor assays using 125I-labeled and-unlabeled mAb were performed to study the topological organization of the corresponding determinants to determine epitopic clusters recognized by this collection of mAb and (b) differential reactivity of mAb to detergent-solobilized solid-phase-immobilized HLA-DR molecules to determine epitopes expressed on identical DR isotypes. The fifteen mAb could be classified according to the first technique as falling into three different epitopic clusters. Using the second technique, we were able to define at least two independent molecular subsets, one co-expressing two of the three epitopic clusters and the second expressing only the third one. We could not formally identify molecular subsets expressing only one of the first two clusters, using the second technique. The precise serological mapping of the determinants recognized by various anti-class II mAb should prove very useful if such mAb were to be introduced in anti-class II-specific T cell clone blocking experiments. We anticipate that some of them should facilitate the correlation at the clonal level between the T cell repertoire and the epitopes or molecular subsets defined by these mAb. However, within mAb belonging apparently to a same cluster, some could mediate different biological effects.

A biochemical analysis of the secregation of HLA-DR heavy and light chains in a family studied by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis

Previous studies in our laboratory using primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) in an informative family have led to the identification of four traits and two regions, separable by recombination within the HLA-DR system. In the present study, we analysed the heterogeneity of HLA-DR antigens among members of this family as a first step towards defining the molecular entities responsible for the observed cellular reactivities. Cell lines of various genotypes derived from the members of this family were labelled biosynthetically with 35S-methionine. The total glycoproteins and immunoprecipitates prepared with two monoclonal anti-HLA-DR antibodies, two monoclonal anti-mouse Ia antibodies cross-reactive with HLA-DR, and a rabbit anti-HLA-DR (anti-p27,33) antiserum were fractionated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. In agreement with previous results, HLA-DR light chains were clearly polymorphic whereas the heavy chains looked rather monomorphic. The light chain subunits either segregated with one haplotype, or were shared by some but not all haplotypes or were common to all haplotypes. Whereas the haplotype-specific polypeptides correlated best with HLA-DR3 and HLA-DR5 specificities, the shared subunits may have corresponded to the cross-reactivities observed by PLT. Comparison of the patterns obtained with the various monoclonal antibodies and with the rabbit antiserum revealed that each monoclonal antibody bound a subset of HLA-DR light chains, all of which were present in the anti-p27,33 precipitates. This rabbit antiserum and one of the monoclonal antibodies immunoprecipitated a set of heavy chains not bound by the other 3 antibodies. Since overlapping pools of light chains were present in all five immunoprecipitates, these results suggest that different heavy chains may associate with the same light chains.

Murine H-2Dd-reactive monoclonal antibodies recognize shared antigenic determinant(s) on human HLA-B7 or HLA-B27 molecules or both

We have evaluated the serological relationships between the murine H-2Dd and human HLA molecules using four H-2Dd-reactive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) produced in the A.BY (KbIbDb) anti-A.TL (KsIkDd) combination. In the mouse, these reagents exhibited three distinct reactivity patterns: Dd, Ks, and H-2u (mAb 81.L); Dd, H-2p, and H-2u (mAb 81.R); and Dd, Kd, H-2p, H-2u, and H-2v (mAbs 97.G and 97.H). Sequential immunoprecipitation and cross-competitive mAb binding experiments revealed that these mAbs recognized determinants in two spatially distinct polymorphic domains on the H-2Dd molecule of B10.A(5R) cells (defined by mAbs 81.L and 81.R, 97.H, and 97.G, respectively). MAbs 81.R, 97.G, and 97.H, but not 81.L, also defined an HLA-linked polymorphism in the human, the main characteristics of which can be summarized as follows: (i) on B lymphoblastoid cell lines, mAbs 81.R and 97.H bound to cells expressing the HLA-B7, HL-B27 or Bw40 cross-reacting specificities, (ii) on peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) panel mAb 81.R exerted C dependent cytotoxicity to 118 of 400 cells tested, including almost all HLA-B7 or HLA-B27 cells or both (r: 0.952), (iii) the expression of the 81.R cross-reacting determinant segregated in an informative family with the parental haplotype carrying the HLA-B7 allele, and (iv) mAbs 81.R, 97.G, and 97.H recognized topologically related determinants on the same class I molecule(s) of the human B lymphoblastoid cells JY (HLA-A2,2, -B7,7). These data support the view that some, but not all H-2Dd allotopes have been conserved throughout evolution and are associated in the human with the HLA-B7, -B27 cross-reacting specificities.

Epitopic analysis of detergent-solubilized HLA molecules by solid-phase radioimmunoassay

A solid-phase radioimmunoanalysis of plasma membrane molecules solubilized in the presence of detergent was developed. From a crude cell lysate, membrane molecules were specifically immobilized by solid-phase adsorbed monoclonal antibodies. Analysis of these molecules was easily performed with radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies of different specificities. This technique was used to analyze the HLA-DR and HLA-A,B,C molecules expressed by RAJI cells. It was possible (a) to determine which epitopes are expressed on the same molecules; (b) to define subsets of HLA molecules according to the epitopes which they express, and (c) to perform quantitative analysis of HLA molecules on a crude cell lysate.

Human cytotoxic T cell structures associated with expression of cytolysis. I. Analysis at the clonal cell level of the cytolysis-inhibiting effect of 7 monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) derived from BALB/c mice immunized with human anti-HLA-A2 cloned cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) were screened for their ability to block, in the absence of complement, the cytolytic activity of the immunizing CTL clone. Eight cytolysis-inhibiting mAb have been derived. One of these was directed against a monomorphic determinant expressed on HLA-class I molecules and thus probably inhibited cytolysis via a target cell antigen-masking effect. The 7 other mAb recognized "CTL function-associated structures" and did not have to interfere with target cell antigens in order to inhibit cytolysis. F(ab')2 and Fab fragments of these 7 mAb were also inhibitory. Competitive inhibition of binding and preliminary biochemical analysis suggested that these 7 mAb defined on cloned CTL various epitopes of a structure of 30 kDa disulfide-bonded into several multimeric forms when analyzed without reduction. The inhibitory effect of these 7 mAb has been investigated on a series of short-term (1 month) and long-term (greater than 10 months) expanded cloned CTL lines derived in vitro from an in vivo allosensitized individual exhibiting various specificities. Unexpectedly, only 10% of these CTL clones were inhibited. Flow cytofluorimetric analysis further revealed that noninhibited and inhibited CTL clones expressed similar amounts of the 30-kDa structure. Consequently, the inhibition of CTL was heterogeneous when analyzed at the clonal level and not simply related to the presence or absence of this structure. Furthermore, the ability of CTL clones to be inhibited appeared to be unrelated to their HLA-A, B or C specificity or to their lytic activity. The connections between this mAb-defined structure and CTL function are discussed.