The existence of HLA class I antigens on human platelets is well established. However, several authors have suggested that platelet HLA antigens are not integral membrane components but are acquired from soluble plasma sources and adsorbed to the platelet surface.In the present study, we used the monoclonal antibody W6/32, directed against a monomorphic epitope of the HLA class I antigen for the immunochemical characterization of platelet HLA. Immunoprecipitation experiments, performed after in vitro metabolic radiolabeling of human platelets revealed a band of molecular weight 44,000 identical to that precipitated from metabolic labeled U937 or HEL cells. When the same antibody was tested by indirected immunofluorescence in a double labeling technique on in vitro cultures of human megakaryocytes, performed in the absence of human serum in the culture medium, megakaryocytes identified by an anti-vWF MoAb revealed a membrane staining with W6/32 identical to that observed on other bone marrow cells, e.g. macrophages. Our results provide evidence that platelet HLA has a megaka-ryocytic origin and that residual biosynthesis of HLA antigen does still occur in circulating platelets. However, our results do not exclude the ability of human platelets to adsord circulating HLA class I antigen from plasma.
Messenger RNA-Electroporated Dendritic Cells Presenting MAGE-A3 Simultaneously in HLA Class I and Class II Molecules