Recent advances in histocompatibility immunogenetics

Experimental Structures of Antibody/MHC-I Complexes Reveal Details of Epitopes Overlooked by Computational Prediction

mAbs to MHC class I (MHC-I) molecules have proved to be crucial reagents for tissue typing and fundamental studies of immune recognition. To augment our understanding of epitopic sites seen by a set of anti-MHC-I mAb, we determined X-ray crystal structures of four complexes of anti-MHC-I Fabs bound to peptide/MHC-I/β2-microglobulin (pMHC-I). An anti-H2-Dd mAb, two anti-MHC-I α3 domain mAbs, and an anti-β2-microglobulin mAb bind pMHC-I at sites consistent with earlier mutational and functional experiments, and the structures explain allelomorph specificity. Comparison of the experimentally determined structures with computationally derived models using AlphaFold Multimer showed that although predictions of the individual pMHC-I heterodimers were quite acceptable, the computational models failed to properly identify the docking sites of the mAb on pMHC-I. The experimental and predicted structures provide insight into strengths and weaknesses of purely computational approaches and suggest areas that merit additional attention.

Experimental structures of antibody/MHC-I complexes reveal details of epitopes overlooked by computational prediction

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules have proved to be crucial reagents for tissue typing and fundamental studies of immune recognition. To augment our understanding of epitopic sites seen by a set of anti-MHC-I mAb, we determined X-ray crystal structures of four complexes of anti-MHC-I antigen-binding fragments (Fab) bound to peptide/MHC-I/β2m (pMHC-I). An anti-H2-Dd mAb, two anti-MHC-I α3 domain mAb, and an anti-β2-microglobulin (β2m) mAb bind pMHC-I at sites consistent with earlier mutational and functional experiments, and the structures explain allelomorph specificity. Comparison of the experimentally determined structures with computationally derived models using AlphaFold Multimer (AF-M) showed that although predictions of the individual pMHC-I heterodimers were quite acceptable, the computational models failed to properly identify the docking sites of the mAb on pMHC-I. The experimental and predicted structures provide insight into strengths and weaknesses of purely computational approaches and suggest areas that merit additional attention.

Mousing around with caspases and IAPs

In a paper in this issue of the Biochemical Journal that questions the role of c-IAP1 (cellular inhibitor of apoptosis 1) in inflammation, new results from the Duckett laboratory remind us of the importance of truly knowing the mice we depend on. It turns out that c-IAP1 is tightly linked to caspase 11 and cannot be segregated by recombination. This disturbing result implies that immune functions ascribed to c-IAP1 may be due to the caspase 11 mutation that is co-inherited with the locus.

Regulation of polyunsaturated fat induced postprandial hypercholesterolemia by a novel gene Phc-2

Inbred mouse strains vary in susceptibility or resistance to dietary induced atherosclerosis. To investigate the effect of polyunsaturated fat feeding on postprandial serum cholesterol levels, in C57BL/67 (B6) and BALB/cJ inbred mice, we fed by stomach gavage previously fasted mice, a mixture containing 30% sunflower oil, 5% cholesterol, 2% sodium cholate and 0.5% choline chloride. The most significant difference in serum cholesterol levels between B6 and BALB/cJ mouse strains was observed at 2 h postfeeding. Susceptible B6 strain mice had a 41% postprandial increment in serum cholesterol. The resistant BALB/cJ strain had an insignificant 16% rise in serum cholesterol, at 2 h. We next examined eight other inbred mouse strains, to identify the gene(s) that regulate the observed 2 h postprandial hypercholesterolemia response, in the susceptible B6 mouse strain. Only the C57BR/cdJ and C57L/J strains developed postprandial hypercholesterolemia, at 2 h. The C57BR/cdJ strain had a 20% increase and the C57L/J strain a 62% increase in postprandial serum cholesterol levels. From this result, we found that the postprandial hypercholesterolemic response to an acute polyunsaturated fat-cholesterol feed, cosegregated with the a allele at the Gpd-1 and Ahd-1 loci, on mouse chromosome 4. In this study, non-responsiveness cosegregated with the b allele at the Gpd-1 and Ahd-1 loci. Thus polyunsaturated fat-cholesterol induced postprandial hypercholesterolemia appeared to be genetically determined by a gene located between the Gpd-1 and Ahd-1 loci, in mice. The putative gene regulating polyunsaturated fat-cholesterol induced post-absorptive hypercholesterolemia was designated Phc-2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Non-H-2 and H-2-linked immune response genes control the cytotoxic T-cell response to H-Y

The immunoregulation of cytotoxic T-cell responses to the male-specific antigen H-Y in mice has been found to be genetically controlled by genes of the major histocompatibility complex (H-2). Responsiveness was mainly confined to H-2b strains, but it has also been found in recombinant strains, F1 hybrids, and chimeras that carry at least part of the H-2b haplotype. By using a different immunization procedure it has been shown recently that an H-2k mouse strain (CBA) is also able to mount an equivalent H-Y-specific response. We investigate here, by applying this immunization technique, the responsiveness of other H-2k strains and of strains of other independent H-2 haplotypes. Both responders and nonresponders are found in three haplotypes: k, s, and d. The strain distribution pattern of responsiveness shows a combined influence of non-H-2 and H-2 genes. In certain strains there is a high variability in responsiveness between genetically identical individual animals. We discuss a model of immune response (Ir) gene function which could account for these observations.

H-2D antigens released by thymocytes and cell adhesion

The identity and complete purification of mouse Thymocyte Interaction Modulation Factor (T IMF) is described. Use of silver-stained PAGE methods shows that previous methods of purification yield preparations containing two protein or glycoprotein bands. T IMF activity from H-2k mice can be bound to 15.5.5 monoclonal antibody columns (anti H-2 Dk) but not to 11.4.1 columns (anti H-2 Kk). The activity can be recovered from 15.5.5 columns and runs on PAGE aa a single band at approximately 34,000 Daltons. This evidence together with previous evidence relating the activity to H-2D locus argues that T IMF is a soluble H-2 D antigen fragment equivalent to a papainized H-2 fragment. Additional evidence is presented on an improved method of assay of T IMF activity, on its inactivation by enzymes and serine-esterase inhibitors and of its effect on syngeneic leucocytes and macrophages. It is shown that T IMF is not appreciably toxic cells.

Generation of F1 hybrid cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific for self H-2

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific for self H-2 antigens are generated by murine F1 hybrid (H-2 heterozygous) spleen cells cultured with irradiated parental (H-2 homozygous) splenocytes. The effectors bind to heterozygous and homozygous cells bearing the appropriate H-2 alleles but only lyse homozygous targets. Autoreactivity for membrane-bound molecules of normal cells may be a mechanism for regulating cellular interactions.

F1 hybrid resistance: long-term systemic effects sensitive to irradiation and age

In contrast to the usual rapid growth of transplanted syngeneic marrow cells in spleens of lethally irradiated recipients, the growth of parental marrow cells from certain inbred strains of mice is resisted by their F1 hybrids, other strains or both. The full complexity of this well known natural resistance is demonstrated here by using three inbred strains and their three F1 hybrids in all parent-hybrid combinations of donor and recipient. A similar resistance to parental marrow grafts is reported here in W-anemic F1 hybrid recipients that are cured and repopulated without irradiation. Rather than resistance to short-term growth in spleens, F1-hybrid resistance to permanent repopulation of the entire hemopoietic system is studied here. This manifestation of hybrid resistance is radiosensitive and declines in recipients over the age of 12 months. Long-term hemopoietic repopulation is measured quantitatively by injecting mixtures of two marrow-cell types with distinguishable hemoglobins into stem-cell-deficient recipients. A very high degree of resistance is detected against WB but not B6 parental marrow when mixed with WBB6F1 marrow and injected into WBB6F1 recipients. Most, but not all, of this resistance to permanent, systemic repopulation is abrogated by irradiation of the recipients; it is also abrogated after they reach the age of 15 months. Mouse models of long-term hybrid resistance studied in the entire hemopoietic system may be particularly relevant for marrow transplantation in man, where the objective is long-term systemic repopulation.