scholarly journals Distinct structural compartmentalization of the signal transducing functions of major histocompatibility complex class II (Ia) molecules.

1994 ◽  
Vol 179 (2) ◽  
pp. 763-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
P André ◽  
J C Cambier ◽  
T K Wade ◽  
T Raetz ◽  
W F Wade

Class II major histocompatibility complex encoded proteins (MHC class II or Ia molecules) are principal plasma membrane proteins involved in activation of both B and T cells during antigen-driven immune responses. Recent data indicate that class II molecules are more than simply recognition elements that provide a ligand for the T cell antigen receptor. Changes in B cell physiology that follow class II binding are now recognized as being required not only for the induction of T cell activation, but also for B cell activation and proliferation. It is interesting to note that class II molecules appear to transduce signals via two distinct mechanisms depending upon the differentiative state of the B cell on which they are expressed. While one of these pathways, involving cAMP generation and protein kinase C localization in the cytoskeletal/nuclear compartment, is seen in resting B cells, the second is seen in primed B cells and involves tyrosine kinase activation, inositol lipid hydrolysis, and Ca2+ mobilization. Use of this pathway is correlated with ability of class II to transduce signals leading to B cell proliferation. To begin to address the molecular basis of this unique, activation-dependent, differential coupling of class II to signaling pathways, we conducted mutational analysis of class II structural requirements for signal transduction. Here we report that the cytoplasmic (Cy) domains of I-Ak class II molecules are not required for either receptor-mediated activation of protein tyrosine phosphorylation or Ca2+ mobilization. This is in contrast to the requirement of the Cy domain of beta chain of class II for the alternate signaling pathway and efficient antigen presentation to autoreactive T cell lines. Disparate distribution of functional motifs within the MHC class II molecules may reflect use of distinct receptor associated effector molecules to sustain different modes of signal transduction in various class II-expressing cells.

1997 ◽  
Vol 186 (5) ◽  
pp. 673-682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangming Zhong ◽  
Caetano Reis e Sousa ◽  
Ronald N. Germain

Intravenous (i.v.) injection of high amounts of soluble proteins often results in the induction of antigen-specific tolerance or deviation to helper rather than inflammatory T cell immunity. It has been proposed that this outcome may be due to antigen presentation to T cells by a large cohort of poorly costimulatory or IL-12–deficient resting B cells lacking specific immunoglobulin receptors for the protein. However, previous studies using T cell activation in vitro to assess antigen display have failed to support this idea, showing evidence of specific peptide–major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II ligand only on purified dendritic cells (DC) or antigen-specific B cells isolated from protein injected mice. Here we reexamine this question using a recently derived monoclonal antibody specific for the T cell receptor (TCR) ligand formed by the association of the 46-61 determinant of hen egg lysozyme (HEL) and the mouse MHC class II molecule I-Ak. In striking contrast to conclusions drawn from indirect T cell activation studies, this direct method of TCR ligand analysis shows that i.v. administration of HEL protein results in nearly all B cells in lymphoid tissues having substantial levels of HEL 46-61–Ak complexes on their surface. DC readily isolated from spleen also display this TCR ligand on their surface. Although the absolute number of displayed ligands is greater on such DC, the relative specific ligand expression compared to total MHC class II levels is similar or greater on B cells. These results demonstrate that in the absence of activating stimuli, both lymphoid DC and antigen-unspecific B cells present to a similar extent class II–associated peptides derived from soluble proteins in extracellular fluid. The numerical advantage of the TCR ligand–bearing B cells may permit them to interact first or more often with naive antigen-specific T cells, contributing to the induction of high-dose T cell tolerance or immune deviation.


1998 ◽  
Vol 188 (9) ◽  
pp. 1633-1640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdel Rahim A. Hamad ◽  
Sean M. O'Herrin ◽  
Michael S. Lebowitz ◽  
Ananth Srikrishnan ◽  
Joan Bieler ◽  
...  

The interaction of the T cell receptor (TCR) with its cognate peptide–major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on the surface of antigen presenting cells (APCs) is a primary event during T cell activation. Here we used a dimeric IEk-MCC molecule to study its capacity to activate antigen-specific T cells and to directly analyze the role of CD4 in physically stabilizing the TCR–MHC interaction. Dimeric IEk-MCC stably binds to specific T cells. In addition, immobilized dimeric IEk-MCC can induce TCR downregulation and activate antigen-specific T cells more efficiently than anti-CD3. The potency of the dimeric IEk-MCC is significantly enhanced in the presence of CD4. However, CD4 does not play any significant role in stabilizing peptide-MHC–TCR interactions as it fails to enhance binding of IEk-MCC to specific T cells or influence peptide-MHC–TCR dissociation rate or TCR downregulation. Moreover, these results indicate that dimerization of peptide-MHC class II using an IgG molecular scaffold significantly increases its binding avidity leading to an enhancement of its stimulatory capacity while maintaining the physiological properties of cognate peptide–MHC complex. These peptide-MHC–IgG chimeras may, therefore, provide a novel approach to modulate antigen-specific T cell responses both in vitro and in vivo.


1991 ◽  
Vol 174 (4) ◽  
pp. 945-948 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Adorini ◽  
J Moreno ◽  
F Momburg ◽  
G J Hämmerling ◽  
J C Guéry ◽  
...  

Antigen-presenting cells (APC) transfected with a construct encoding the hen egg-white lysozyme (HEL) amino acid sequence 1-80 constitutively present HEL peptides complexed to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules to specific T cell hybridomas, indicating that endogenous cellular antigens can be efficiently presented to class II-restricted T cells. Here we show that exogenous peptide competitors added to HEL-transfected APC can inhibit the presentation of endogenous HEL peptides to class II-restricted T cells. The inhibition is specific for the class II molecule binding the competitor peptide, and it affects to the same extent presentation of exogenous or endogenous HEL peptides. These results, demonstrating that an exogenous competitor can inhibit class II-restricted T cell activation induced by endogenous as well as exogenous antigen, suggest lack of strict compartmentalization between endogenous and exogenous pathways of antigen presentation. Since autoreactive T cells may recognize endogenous, as well as exogenous antigens, the results have implications for the treatment of autoimmune diseases by MHC blockade.


1973 ◽  
Vol 138 (6) ◽  
pp. 1289-1304 ◽  
Author(s):  
David H. Sachs ◽  
James L. Cone

Antibodies cytotoxic for only a subpopulation of C57Bl/10 lymph node and spleen cells were detected when rat antiserum against B10.D2 was exhaustively absorbed with B10.A lymphocytes. Antibodies of similar specificity were also detected in B10.A anti-B10.D2 and in B10.A anti-C57Bl/10 alloantisera. Reactions with recombinant strains of mice indicate that the cell-surface antigen(s) responsible for this specificity is determined by gene(s) in or to the left of the Ir-1 region of the major histocompatibility complex. A variety of criteria implicate B cells as the subpopulation of lymphocytes bearing this antigen. In view of these data and the recent report by others of a T-cell alloantigen determined by gene(s) in the major histocompatibility complex, it seems possible that there may be a variety of H-2-linked alloantigens expressed preferentially on subclasses of lymphocytes.


2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (16) ◽  
pp. 5014-5026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Jin ◽  
Paul M. Waterman ◽  
Karen R. Jonscher ◽  
Cindy M. Short ◽  
Nichole A. Reisdorph ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Although the best-defined function of type II major histocompatibility complex (MHC-II) is presentation of antigenic peptides to T lymphocytes, these molecules can also transduce signals leading alternatively to cell activation or apoptotic death. MHC-II is a heterodimer of two transmembrane proteins, each containing a short cytoplasmic tail that is dispensable for transduction of death signals. This suggests the function of an undefined MHC-II-associated transducer in signaling the death response. Here we describe a novel plasma membrane tetraspanner (MPYS) that is associated with MHC-II and mediates its transduction of death signals. MPYS is unusual among tetraspanners in containing an extended C-terminal cytoplasmic tail (∼140 amino acids) with multiple embedded signaling motifs. MPYS is tyrosine phosphorylated upon MHC-II aggregation and associates with inositol lipid and tyrosine phosphatases. Finally, MHC class II-mediated cell death signaling requires MPYS-dependent activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway.


1981 ◽  
Vol 154 (4) ◽  
pp. 1100-1115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Asano ◽  
A Singer ◽  
RJ Hodes

The present study has evaluated the identity of the B cell subpopulations participating in T dependent antibody responses that differ in their requirements for major histocompatibility complex-restricted T cell recognition. In vitro responses of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH)-primed T cells and trinitrophenyl (TNP)-primed B cells were studied to both low and high concentrations of the antigen TNP-KLH. It was first demonstrated that for responses to low concentrations of TNP-KLH, (A × B)F(1) {arrow} parent(A) chimeric helper T cells were restricted in their ability to recognize parent(A) but not parent(B) H-2 determinants expressed by both B cells and antigen-presenting cells (APC). In contrast, at higher antigen concentrations, helper T cells were not restricted in their interaction with B cells. It was then determined whether these observed differences in T cell recognition resulted from the activation of distinct B cell subpopulations with different activation requirements. At low concentrations of TNP-KLH it was demonstrated that Lyb-5(-) B cells were activated, and that it was thus the activation of the Lyb-5(-) subpopulation that required T cell recognition of B cell H-2 under these conditions. In contrast, responses to high concentration of antigen required the participation of Lyb-5(+) B cells, and these Lyb-5(+) B cells were activated by a pathway that required H-2- restricted T cell interaction with APC, but not with B cells. The findings presented here have demonstrated that Lyb-5(-) and Lyb-5(+) B cells constitute B cell subpopulations that differ significantly in their activation requirements for T cell-dependent antibody responses to TNP-KLH. In so doing, these findings have established that the function of genetic restrictions in immune response regulation is critically dependent upon the activation pathways employed by functionally distinct subpopulations of B, as well as T, lymphocytes.


1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 3975-3987
Author(s):  
A Dorn ◽  
H J Fehling ◽  
W Koch ◽  
M Le Meur ◽  
P Gerlinger ◽  
...  

Transcription of major histocompatibility complex class II genes is elaborately regulated. Mouse class II genes are transcribed primarily in B cells, peripheral macrophages and interdigitating cells, and thymic cortical and medullary cells. In this study, we began to identify the DNA sequences and protein factors that control expression of a class II gene in B cells, addressing in particular how closely they resemble those that regulate immunoglobulin gene expression. We describe a region upstream of the E alpha gene that is crucial for its transcription in the B cells of transgenic mice but is less important in cultured B-cell lines. The sequence of this region reveals several familiar motifs, including a second X-Y pair reminiscent of that residing in the promoter-proximal region of all class II genes, a B motif strikingly homologous to that associated with the immunoglobulin kappa gene enhancer, several Ephrussi motifs, and a Pu box-like sequence very similar to that implicated in simian virus 40 and lymphotrophic papovavirus expression in B cells. Careful study of the proteins that bind specifically to these different motifs prompts us to suggest that major histocompatibility complex class II and immunoglobulin genes rely on quite different factors to achieve B-cell-specific expression.


1994 ◽  
Vol 180 (2) ◽  
pp. 507-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
K P Lam ◽  
A M Stall

All mature B cells coexpress major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules, I-A and I-E, which are restriction elements required for antigen presentation to CD4+ T cells. However, the expression of class II during the early stages of B cell development has been unclear. We demonstrate here that there is a difference in the expression of class II during murine B cell development in the fetal liver and adult bone marrow (BM). These differences define two distinct B cell developmental pathways. The Fetal-type (FT) pathway is characterized by pre-B and immature IgM+ B cells generated in the fetal liver which initially lack all class II expression. In contrast, the Adult-type (AT) pathway is typified by B cells developing in the adult BM which express class II molecules from the pre-B cell stage. In vitro stromal cell cultures of sorted fetal liver and adult BM pro-B cells indicated that the difference in I-A expression during B cell development is intrinsic to the progenitors. In addition, we show that FT B cell development is not restricted to the fetal liver but occurs in the peritoneal cavities, spleens, liver, and BM of young mice up to at least 1 mo of age. The AT B cell development begins to emerge after birth but is, however, restricted to the BM environment. These findings indicate that there are two distinct B cell developmental pathways during ontogeny, each of which could contribute differentially to the immune repertoire and thus the functions of B cell subsets and lineages.


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