Functional roles of human class II antigens in T cell proliferative response. Comparison of the DR and DQ molecules using mouse monoclonal antibodies

Selective T cell receptor Vbeta gene usage by alloreactive T cells responding to defined HLA-DR alleles

Previous studies have provided strong evidence for restricted Vbeta gene usage in response to DR synthetic peptides presented in context by self MHC molecules, i.e., via the indirect pathway of allorecognition. Although numerous studies have suggested a role for the T cell receptor (TCR) beta chain in the direct pathway of allorecognition, it is not clear whether a particular HLA allele elicits a consistent pattern of restricted Vbeta gene usage by resting T cells from different individuals. To address this problem, HLA class II homozygous cell lines that do not express class I antigens were used to study the role of the TCR Vbeta elements in direct recognition of specific DR alleles. Analysis of TCR V gene usage revealed that each DR allele tested elicited the same pattern of preferential Vbeta gene usage in all individuals studied. For example, the DRB1*0101 allele was preferentially recognized by T cells expressing Vbeta2, Vbeta13.1, Vbeta18, and Vbeta20, and the DRB1*1301 caused expansion of Vbeta4-, Vbeta6-, Vbeta8-, and Vbeta18-bearing T cells. Similarly, analysis of TCR V gene usage in response to defined DR alleles expressed on homozygous cell lines that express class I was also made possible by using anti-class I antibodies to block class I recognition and focus the response on the DR molecule. The results showed that the DRB1*1501 allele expressed on two distinct homozygous lines elicited the preferential expansion of Vbeta2, Vbeta8, and Vbeta13.2 T cells. Similarly, the DRB1*0301 allele expressed on normal, Epstein-Barr virus-transformed, or transfected fibroblasts was found to elicit the same pattern of Vbeta expansion and to selectively stimulate T cells bearing Vbeta2, Vbeta16, and Vbeta17 elements. In contrast to this highly reproducible pattern of Vbeta gene usage elicited by specific DR alleles, extensive heterogeneity in the CDR3 region was found and no preferential Jbeta or Valpha gene usage was observed in response to any of the DR alleles tested. The data suggest that, similar to the situation with the indirect pathway, TCR Vbeta elements are involved in the direct pathway of allorecognition. Although some overlap may exist, different sets of Vbeta elements may be preferentially used for each of these pathways. Inasmuch as HLA-identical siblings, but not HLA-identical unrelated individuals, express a very similar TCR repertoire, our data suggest that additional factors are involved in shaping the repertoire. Preferential activation of T-cell subsets by specific DR alleles may play an important role in primary alloresponses, e.g., in mixed lymphocyte reactions, and organ transplantation. Elucidation of the Vbeta specificity of each DR allele may have an impact on therapeutic strategies aimed at blocking specific alloresponse and prolonging graft survival in transplant recipients while avoiding the hazardous sequelae of nonspecific immunosuppression.

Role of children's sex in mixed mother-child lymphocyte culture reactivity

One-way mixed mother-child lymphocyte cultures (MMCLC) 4 to 20 years after the last delivery were studied with maternal responding and children's or fathers' stimulating cells (MMFLC) in 14 multiple child families with 18 sons and 20 daughters. HLA antigen typing locus A, B, DR was performed for all family members. As reported previously for newborn cells, a significantly increased maternal response could be observed in MMCLC with male as compared to female children's stimulating cells. Although the number of cases studied was small, it seems that the increased stimulating effect of male children's cells could also be observed when MMCLC values from children of different sex, and identical A,B,DR haplotypes were compared. In contrast to this, A,B,DR haploidentical children of the same sex seem to have a similar stimulating effect on the maternal response in MMCLC. The results suggest that male children's Y-chromosome-correlated minor histocompatibility antigens may additionally stimulate the maternal immune response in MMCLC.

T lymphocyte clones recognizing an HLA-DQw3.2-associated epitope involving residue 57 on the DQ beta chain

The DQw3.2 specificity has previously been recognized using genomic RFLP analysis and certain combinations of monoclonal antibodies. Here we report three CD4+ T lymphocyte clones (TLCs) generated from a DR3,4; DQw2,w3.1 responder stimulated with cells from a DR3,4; DQw2,w3.2 donor, and using a modified cloning procedure involving enrichment of IL-2 receptor-positive T cell during priming. The resulting TLCs were strongly inhibited by some monoclonal anti-DQ, but not anti-DR or -DP antibodies. In panel studies using HLA homozygous stimulating cells, it was found that the TLCs recognize an HLA epitope encoded by a DQ gene carried only by DR4,DQw3.2 haplotypes. By comparison with published DQ chain amino acid sequences of some stimulating cells able or not to induce a response in these clones, evidence was obtained that Ala at position 57 on the DQ beta chain is most probably involved in the epitope. The epitope is present on cells from 12 out of 12 DR4,DQw3 insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients, but on cells only from 6 out of 12 healthy DR4,DQw3 controls. Thus, a DQ-encoded epitope involving residue 57 on the DQ beta chain, and which is strongly associated to IDDM, may be recognized by T cells.

HLA-DQw3.1 and DQw3.2 associated exon polymorphisms detected by oligonucleotide probes

HLA class II polymorphisms have been analyzed on the genomic level by two oligonucleotide probes corresponding to the DNA sequence coding for the amino acids 23-30 in the first domain of the beta chain of DQw3.1 and DQw3.2. Specific hybridization to single endonuclease fragments of DNA from some HLA homozygous cells was detected. Here we report the distribution of these DNA exon sequences among different DQ alleles, and demonstrate that the probes may be used to type for DQw3.1 and DQw3.2 respectively.