The C.B6-H-2dm5 mutant

Low expression of a Ddm7/Ldm7-hybrid mutant (D/Ldm7) in the novel haplotype H-2nc identified in atopic dermatitis model NC/Nga mice

Environmental factors and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). However, MHC type (H2 haplotype) of AD model mice NC/Nga is poorly understood. Alloreactive CD8⁺ or CD4⁺ T cells in NC/Nga strongly responded to each antigen-presenting cells (A/J: H-2^a, C57BL/6: H-2^b, BALB/c: H-2^d, or C3H/HeJ: H-2^k), suggesting that NC/Nga has other H2 haplotype. Polymorphic microsatellite (CA)ⁿ repeats in TNF-α gene differ based on the H2 haplotype at present. NC/Nga's (CA)ⁿ repeats (n = 19) were different from other examined strains, A/J (n = 14), BALB/c (n = 14), C3H/HeJ (n = 16), and C57BL/6 (n = 20). Using flow cytometry and genotyping, we demonstrated the NC/Nga H2 haplotype had a unique phenotype (K^d, I-A^k, and I-E^k) in which D^d and L^d lacked as protein despite sensitive mRNA detection. The loss of D^d and L^d was caused by forming a unique D^dm7/L^dm7-hybrid mutant (D/L^dm7). We propose to call this novel H2 haplotype the "H-2^nc," and provide the important information regarding the AD research using NC/Nga mice.

Organization and evolution of D region class I genes in the mouse major histocompatibility complex

Chromosome walking has been used to study the organization of the class I genes in the D and Qa regions of the MHC of the BALB/c mouse and in the D region of the AKR mouse. Five and eight class I genes are found in the D and Qa regions of the BALB/c mouse, respectively, while the AKR mouse contains only a single class I D region gene that has been identified by transfection as the Dk gene. Restriction map homologies and crosshybridization experiments suggest that the multiple class I genes in the D region of the BALB/c mouse have been generated by unequal crossing-over involving class I genes from the Qa region. The expanded D region of BALB/c and other H-2d haplotype mouse strains appears to be metastable, since evidence for gene contraction in the Dd region has been found in two mutant strains. Thus the D region and also the Qa region class I genes are in a dynamic state, evolving by gene expansion and contraction.

H-2 haplotypes, genes and antigens: second listing. II. The H-2 complex

In this second part of the Second Listing, we describe genes that constitute the H-2 complex proper. Here, we define the complex functionally as consisting of class I and class II loci (see Klein et al. 1983a). The H-2-associated complement loci and the Neu-1 locus have been described in the first part of the Second Listing (Klein et al. 1982), but for completeness we list them here again in some of the tables. We include into the H-2 complex the cluster of Qa and Tla loci, which we consider as class I loci (Klein et al. 1983). The genetic map of the definitely established loci appears in Figure 1 and is based on the recent results of molecular genetics studies (Steinmetz et al. 1982 a, b). For historical reasons we also describe loci (regions, subregions) that were once thought to be part of the H-2 complex but either they have since been withdrawn, or their actual existence is at present uncertain. We first list loci (regions, subregions) that have been designated by capital letters (we call it Madman's Alphabet because of the frivolity with which symbols have been introduced and then withdrawn again), and then other loci believed to be associated with the H-2 complex. As in the First Listing (Klein et al. 1978), the core of the review in the Second Listing constitutes the tables of H-2 haplotypes, antigens, and determinants.