Mls and the helper T-cell repertoire. I. Mls as a regulator of T-helper cell activation

A comment on H-2-restricted T cell recognition of Mls determinants: a question of perspective

Data presented here addressed the question of whether T lymphocyte recognition of Mls determinants is MHC restricted. Using isolated T cell blasts from primary MLCs involving H-2-identical, Mls-disparate strain combinations as responding cell populations in secondary MLCs, and measuring their responses against fresh stimulating cells from different strains, has permitted the study of reactions towards Mls determinants in the presence of MHC antigenic differences. Results strongly suggest that recognition of Mlsc (Mls-2 locus) determinants is H-2 restricted. In contrast, there is still little evidence that the recognition of Mlsa (Mls-1 locus) determinants is H-2 restricted. Furthermore, data are also presented which refute the notion that different H-2 haplotypes possess different abilities to present Mlsa determinants to responding T cells.

Genetic complexity of Mls

For almost 20 years, little new has been described for Mls or the products it encodes. In the present report, data is presented which indicate that either the number of loci or the number of alleles per locus that control Mls-like products is much larger than the two-locus model or five allele-model presently envisaged.