A hypothetical model of the foreign antigen binding site of class II histocompatibility molecules

Class II and class I histocompatibility molecules allow T cells to recognize 'processed' polypeptide antigens. The two polypeptide chains of class II molecules, alpha and beta, are each composed of two domains (for review see ref. 6); the N-terminal domains of each, alpha 1 and beta 1, are highly polymorphic and appear responsible for binding peptides at what appears to be a single site and for being recognized by MHC-restricted antigen-specific T cells. Recently, the three-dimensional structure of the foreign antigen binding site of a class I histocompatibility antigen has been described. Because a crystal structure of a class II molecule is not available, we have sought evidence in class II molecules for the structural features observed in the class I binding site by comparing the patterns of conserved and polymorphic residues of twenty-six class I and fifty-four class II amino acid sequences. The hypothetical class II foreign-antigen binding site we present is consistent with mutation experiments and provides a structural framework for proposing peptide binding models to help understand recent peptide binding data.     

An Fc receptor structurally related to MHC class I antigens

Maternal immunoglobulin G transmitted to the fetus or newborn provides humoral immunity for the first weeks of mammalian life. Fc receptors on intestinal epithelial cells of the neonatal rat (FcRn) mediate the uptake of IgG from milk. Affinity-purified FcRn is resolved by SDS-PAGE into components of relative molecular masses 45,000-53,000 (p51) and about 14,000 (p14). We report the identification of the smaller component as beta 2-microglobulin. Association of beta 2-microglobulin with p51 was confirmed by crosslinking in intestinal epithelial cell brush borders. We have cloned a cDNA encoding the presumptive Fc-binding subunit, p51, and its predicted primary structure has three extracellular domains and a transmembrane region which are all homologous to the corresponding domains of class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens. This is the first time a function has been assigned to an MHC antigen-related molecule.     

A minimum of four human class II alpha-chain genes are encoded in the HLA region of chromosome 6

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in man, also called the HLA region, is located on the short arm of chromosome 6 and encodes antigens involved in immunological processes. The class II HLA antigens consist of two noncovalently associated polypeptide chains, one of molecular weight 34,000 (alpha) and the other of molecular weight 29,000 (beta). The extensive polymorphism of the beta chain(s) has allowed the genetic mapping of the corresponding beta gene(s) to the HLA-DR region. cDNA clones for the HLA-DR alpha chain have been used to map the non-polymorphic DR alpha-chain gene to chromosome 6 using mouse-human somatic cell hybrids. Similarly, the DR alpha-chain gene has been mapped to the short arm of chromosome 6 centromeric to the HLA-A, -B and -C loci by in situ hybridization experiments. We isolated a cDNA clone that is related to the DR alpha chain and encodes the class II antigen DC alpha chain. We describe here how this DC alpha clone was used to find two or three additional alpha-chain genes by cross-hybridization and how HLA-antigen loss mutants of a human lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) were used to ascertain that these additional class II antigen alpha-chain genes are also located in the HLA region.     

The gene encoding the T-cell receptor alpha-chain maps close to the Np-2 locus on mouse chromosome 14

Serological and molecular genetic analyses of T-cell clones have shown that the T-cell antigen receptor apparently comprises two glycosylated, disulphide-linked polypeptide chains (alpha and beta), both of which span the cell membrane. Cloning of the genes encoding the two chains from mouse and human DNA has shown that the alpha- and beta-chains are composed of variable (V) and conserved (C) regions in agreement with peptide mapping data. Gene segments encoding variable and conserved domains of the beta-chain have been identified and undergo rearrangements during T-cell differentiation. The genes encoding the alpha-chain, so far described at the level of complementary DNA clones, also identify DNA rearrangements. Thus, the genes encoding the T-cell receptor show the same structure and dynamic behaviour as immunoglobulin genes, indicating that the two gene families belong to the same supergene family; this evolutionary relationship is supported by the fact that the genes encoding the beta-chain of the T-cell receptor are closely linked to immunoglobulin kappa light-chain genes on chromosome 6 in mouse. In man, however, the beta genes map to chromosome 7 (ref. 14) whereas the kappa-chain genes are located on chromosome 2, indicating that linkage between the two gene families is not needed for proper expression. Here we describe genomic clones encoding the constant portion of the T-cell receptor alpha-chain and map the gene to chromosome 14 in mouse, close to the gene for purine nucleoside phosphorylase (Np-2) which, in man, has been associated with T-cell immunodeficiencies.     

HLA-D region beta-chain DNA endonuclease fragments differ between HLA-DR identical healthy and insulin-dependent diabetic individuals

The human HLA-D histocompatibility region encodes class II antigens each of which consists of two polypeptide chains (alpha and beta) inserted in the plasma membrane. These molecules are implicated in the regulation of the immune response but several human diseases are also found to be associated with certain HLA-DR antigens. The occurrence of insulin-dependent (type I) diabetes (IDDM) is strongly associated with HLA-DR3 and/or 4 (ref. 5). The class II antigens, however, show a marked genetic polymorphism associated with the beta-chains which seem, from hybridization studies, to be encoded by several genes. We have therefore used the beta-chain cDNA probe, pDR-beta-1 (refs 8, 10) to test whether there are differences in hybridization pattern between DNA from healthy individuals and diabetic patients, after digestion with restriction endonucleases. Among the HLA-DR 4 and 3/4 individuals, the IDDM patients showed an increased frequency of a PstI 18 kilobase (kb) fragment. A BamHI 3.7 kb fragment, frequent among controls (30-40%), was rarely detected in the IDDM patients (0-2%). These differences may be related to susceptibility to develop the disease.     

Different amino acids at position 57 of the HLA-DQ beta chain associated with susceptibility and resistance to IgA deficiency

The human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are implicated in the genetic susceptibility to a large number of diseases. Some of the diseases associated with HLA class II are related to specific amino acids or epitopes of the domain of the HLA class II molecule that is distal to the membrane. In man, selective immunoglobulin A deficiency is the most common immunodeficiency, frequently resulting in recurrent sino-pulmonary infections and gastro-intestinal disorders. Associations have been described with HLA class I, and to a lesser extent with different class II alleles, which might indicate that they share some common feature. Here we study 95 IgA-D patients and find positive associations with three DR-DQ haplotypes and a strong negative association with a fourth haplotype. Comparison of the sequences of the polymorphic amino-terminal domain of the DQ beta chain showed that the three 'susceptibility' haplotypes all had a neutral alanine or valine at position 57. The 'protective' allele had the negatively charged aspartic acid at this position (Asp57). Codon 57 of the HLA-DQ beta chain has been implicated in the susceptibility to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Our data suggest that the same amino acid position could possibly also influence susceptibility and resistance to selective immunoglobulin A deficiency.     

Peptide-induced conformational change of the class I heavy chain

There is evidence that peptide ligands take part in the assembly of class I molecules. In particular, addition of peptides to extracts of the mutant cells RMA-S and .174/T2, in which stable assembly of class I does not occur, results in a conformational change in the class I heavy chain and stable association of the heavy chain with beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m). Thus specific peptides may stabilize or induce a conformational change in the class I heavy chain that results in a rise in the binding affinity of the heavy chain for beta 2m (Fig. 1a). Here we show that peptides have two cooperative roles in class I assembly. Specific short peptides (9-10 amino acids) can induce folding of the heavy chain in the absence of beta 2m. Both short (nine amino acids) and longer sequences (15 amino acids) can stabilize performed low-affinity complexes of heavy chain and beta 2m. To alter the conformation of free heavy chains, the peptides must be exactly the correct size, and they are found to correspond to the sequences isolated from infected cells. This property may therefore be the basis for selection of epitopes presented in vivo.     

A chimaeric receptor allows insulin to stimulate tyrosine kinase activity of epidermal growth factor receptor

The cell surface receptors for insulin and epidermal growth factor (EGF) appear to share a common evolutionary origin, as suggested by structural similarity of cysteine-rich regions in their extracellular domains and a highly conserved tyrosine-specific protein kinase domain. Only minor similarity is found outside this catalytic domain, as expected for receptors that have different ligand specificities and generate different biological signals. The EGF receptor is a single polypeptide chain but the insulin receptor consists of distinct alpha and beta subunits that function as an alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetrameric receptor complex. Provoked by this major structural difference in two receptors that carry out parallel functions, we have designed a chimaeric receptor molecule comprising the extracellular portion of the insulin receptor joined to the transmembrane and intracellular domains of the EGF receptor to investigate whether one ligand will activate the tyrosine kinase domain of the receptor for the other ligand. We show here that the EGF receptor kinase domain of the chimaeric protein, expressed transiently in simian cells, is activated by insulin binding. This strongly suggests that insulin and EGF receptors employ closely related or identical mechanisms for signal transduction across the plasma membrane.     

A combination of a particular HLA-DP beta allele and an HLA-DQ heterodimer confers susceptibility to coeliac disease

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease of the intestinal mucosa, elicited by ingestion of wheat gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. Susceptibility to coeliac disease has been associated with the serologically defined variants DR3 and DR7 of the class II antigens encoded by the HLA-D region. Three related class II antigens, each consisting of an alpha and a beta glycoprotein chain, have been identified and are designated HLA-DR, HLA-DQ, and HLA-DP. These highly polymorphic transmembrane proteins bind peptides derived from the processing of foreign antigens and present them to T lymphocytes; they also influence the specificity of the mature T-cell repertoire. The role of HLA-DP polymorphism in susceptibility has not been as fully explored as that of the other class II antigens because of the complexity of the primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) method for determining DPw specificities. Here we use a new DNA-based method of HLA-DP typing to analyse the distribution of DP beta alleles in a group of coeliac disease patients and healthy controls. Two specific DP beta alleles (DPB4.2 and DPB3) are increased in the patient population. Comparison of the DP beta sequences suggests that the polymorphic residues at position 69 and at 56 and 57 may be critical in conferring susceptibility. Further, the contribution of the susceptible DP beta alleles appears to be independent of linkage to the previously reported DR3 and DR7 markers for coeliac disease. The distribution of DQ alpha and beta alleles in patients suggests that a specific DQ heterodimer may be responsible for the observed DR associations. Individuals with both this DQ antigen and a specific DP beta allele are at increased risk for coeliac disease.     

Glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol linkage as a mechanism for cell-surface expression of immunoglobulin D.

The B-cell antigen receptor of the IgM and IgD class is a multimeric complex consisting of the membrane-bound form of the immunoglobulin molecule and two other proteins, Ig-alpha and Ig-beta. The Ig-alpha and Ig-beta proteins form a disulphide-linked alpha/beta heterodimer and are encoded by the mb-1 (ref 9, 10) and B29 genes, respectively. Surface expression of the membrane-bound IgM molecule requires assembly with the alpha/beta heterodimer. The IgD molecule, however, can be expressed on the cell surface in an alpha/beta-dependent and -independent form. We show here that in the alpha/beta-independent form the IgD molecule is anchored in the plasma membrane through a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol linker. In the presence of the alpha/beta heterodimer, most of the otherwise glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-linked IgD molecule is expressed on the cell surface as transmembrane proteins.     

Serum beta 2-microglobulin binds to a T-cell differentiation antigen and increases its expression

The human T-cell leukaemia and differentiation antigen HTA 1 is defined by the monoclonal antibody NA1/34 (ref. 1) and also recognized by the monoclonal antibody OKT6. Like class I products of the human major histocompatibility complex, it has a glycosylated heavy (alpha) chain of approximately 45-50,000 molecular weight (MW) in non-covalent association with beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m) (MW 11,900). A particular feature of HTA 1 is the presence in significant amounts of an additional beta 2m-like subunit, called beta t (refs 3, 4). Top facilitate biochemical studies we have prepared a high HTA 1 expressor variant (NH17) of the human thymoma line MOLT-4. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the beta t purified from this cell line was shown to be indistinguishable from that of bovine beta 2m. Further, beta t was present when the cells were grown in medium containing fetal calf serum (FCS), but absent from cells grown with human serum (HuS). We show here that addition of human and bovine beta 2m to MOLT-4 and NH17 cells grown in serum-free medium produces a significant elevation of HTA 1 antigen expression, providing evidence for a regulatory or stabilizing function for the exchange of extracellular beta 2m with a cell-surface antigen.     

Structure of the human class I histocompatibility antigen, HLA-A2

The class I histocompatibility antigen from human cell membranes has two structural motifs: the membrane-proximal end of the glycoprotein contains two domains with immunoglobulin-folds that are paired in a novel manner, and the region distal from the membrane is a platform of eight antiparallel beta-strands topped by alpha-helices. A large groove between the alpha-helices provides a binding site for processed foreign antigens. An unknown 'antigen' is found in this site in crystals of purified HLA-A2.     

Location of MHC-encoded transporters in the endoplasmic reticulum and cis-Golgi.

Immune recognition of intracellular proteins is mediated by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules that present short peptides to cytotoxic T cells. Evidence suggests that peptides arise by cleavage of proteins in the cytoplasm and are transported by a signal-independent mechanism into a pre-Golgi region of the cell, where they take part in the assembly of class I heavy chains with beta 2-microglobulin (reviewed in refs 5-7). Analysis of cells that have defects in class I molecule assembly and antigen presentation has shown that this phenotype can result from mutations in either of the two ABC transporter genes located in the class II region of the MHC. This suggested that the protein complex encoded by these two genes transports peptides from the cytosol into the endoplasmic reticulum. Here we report additional evidence by showing that the transporter complex is located in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and is probably oriented with its ATP-binding domains in the cytosol.     

Genomic organization of the genes encoding mouse T-cell receptor alpha-chain

The vertebrate immune system uses two kinds of antigen-specific receptors, the immunoglobulin molecules of B cells and the antigen receptors of T cells. T-cell receptors are formed by a combination of two different polypeptide chains, alpha and beta (refs 1-3). Three related gene families are expressed in T cells, those encoding the T-cell receptor, alpha and beta, and a third, gamma (refs 4-6), whose function is unknown. Each of these polypeptide chains can be divided into variable (V) and constant (C) regions. The V beta regions are encoded by V beta, diversity (D beta) and joining (J beta) gene segments that rearrange in the differentiating T cell to generate V beta genes. The V gamma regions are encoded by V gamma, J gamma and, possibly, D gamma gene segments. Studies of alpha complementary DNA clones suggest that alpha-polypeptides have V alpha and C alpha regions and are encoded by V alpha and J alpha gene segments and a C alpha gene. Elsewhere in this issue we demonstrate that 18 of 19 J alpha sequences examined are distinct, indicating that the J alpha gene segment repertoire is much larger than those of the immunoglobulin (4-5) or beta (14) gene families. Here we report the germline structures of one V alpha and six J alpha mouse gene segments and demonstrate that the structures of the V alpha and J alpha gene segments and the alpha-recognition sequences for DNA rearrangement are similar to those of their immunoglobulin and beta-chain counterparts. We also show that the J alpha gene-segment organization is strikingly different from that of the other immunoglobulin and rearranging T-cell gene families. Eighteen J alpha gene segments map over 60 kilobases (kb) of DNA 5' to the C alpha gene.     

Formation of a nine-subunit complex by HLA class II glycoproteins and the invariant chain

HLA class II molecules are heterodimeric transmembrane glycoproteins that bind and present processed antigenic peptides to CD4-positive T lymphocytes. Intracellularly, class II molecules associate with a third subunit termed the invariant (I) chain. Here we describe the physical characteristics of the intracellular class II alpha beta I complex. Chemical crosslinking, size exclusion chromatography and sedimentation velocity studies demonstrate that the alpha beta I complex is a nine-subunit transmembrane protein that contains three alpha beta dimers associated with an I chain trimer. The organization of class II alpha- and beta-subunits in such a multimer may have a role in the documented ability of the I chain to inhibit peptide binding to class II molecules. In addition, the formation of the nine-chain complex may induce the structural changes necessary to overcome the cytoplasmic retention signal responsible for the localization of free I chain in the endoplasmic reticulum, releasing class II-I chain complexes for transport to endosomes.     

Restricted recognition of beta 2-microglobulin by cytotoxic T lymphocytes

Recognition of foreign antigen by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) is restricted by class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) products. Class I heavy chains (relative molecular mass (Mr) 45,000-48,000) are reversibly and noncovalently associated with beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2M, Mr = 12,000). Cells expressing human or murine class I heavy chains can exchange their native beta 2M for exogenously added free beta 2M, which is present in serum. Two allelic forms of beta 2M exist among the common laboratory mouse strains, beta 2M-A and beta 2M-B, which are represented in BALB and C57BL mice, respectively. The two forms differ at a single amino acid at position 85, the gene (beta 2m) is located on chromosome 2 linked to a minor histocompatibility (H) region, H-3. It has been proposed that one of the H-3 loci is identical with beta 2m, and that CTL raised across certain H-3 incompatibilities are actually specific for beta 2M. Here we describe CTL raised in such a combination which recognize endogenous as well as exogenous beta 2M-B in the context of H-2Kb. This represents a unique case of CTL recognition, as CTL usually recognize antigens inserted into the membrane, and it is the first molecular identification of the product of a minor H locus.     

T gamma protein is expressed on murine fetal thymocytes as a disulphide-linked heterodimer

During the search for genes coding for the mouse alpha and beta subunits of the antigen-specific receptor of mouse T cells we encountered a third gene, subsequently designated gamma. This gene has many properties in common with the alpha and beta genes, somatic assembly from gene segments that resemble the gene segments for immunoglobulin variable (V), joining (J) and constant (C) regions; rearrangement and expression in T cells and not in B cells; low but distinct sequence homology to immunoglobulin V, J and C regions; other sequences that are reminiscent of the transmembrane and intracytoplasmic regions of integral membrane proteins; and a cysteine residue at the position expected for a disulphide bond linking two subunits of a dimeric membrane protein. Despite these similarities the gamma gene also shows some interesting unique features. These include a relatively limited repertoire of the germ-line gene segments, more pronounced expression at the RNA level in immature T cells such as fetal thymocytes and an apparent absence of in-frame RNA in some functional, alpha beta heterodimer-bearing T cells or cultured T clones and hybridomas. To understand the function of the putative gamma protein it is essential to define the cell population that expresses this protein. To this end we produced a fusion protein composed of Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase and the gamma-chain (hereafter referred to a beta-gal-gamma) using the phage expression vector lambda gt11 and raised rabbit antisera against the gamma determinants. Using the purified anti-gamma antibody we detected a polypeptide chain of relative molecular mass 35,000 (Mr 35K) on the surface of 16-day old fetal thymocytes. The gamma-chain is linked by a disulphide bridge to another component of 45K. No such heterodimer was detected on the surface of a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clone 2C from which an in-phase gamma cDNA clone was originally isolated.     

Signal for T-cell differentiation to a CD4 cell lineage is delivered by CD4 transmembrane region and/or cytoplasmic tail.

Mature T cells express either CD4 or CD8 on their surface. Most helper T cells express CD4, which binds to class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins, and most cytotoxic T cells express CD8, which binds to class I MHC proteins. In the thymus, mature CD4+CD8- and CD4-CD8+ T cells expressing alpha beta T-cell antigen receptors (TCR) develop from immature thymocytes through CD4+CD8+ alpha beta TCR+ intermediates. Experiments using mice transgenic for alpha beta TCR suggest that the specificity of the TCR determines the CD4/CD8 phenotype of mature T cells. These results, however, do not indicate how a T cell differentiates into the CD4 or CD8 lineage. Here we show that the CD4 transmembrane region and/or cytoplasmic tail mediates the delivery of a specific signal that directs differentiation of T cells to a CD4 lineage. We generated transgenic mice expressing a hybrid molecule composed of the CD8 alpha extracellular domains linked to the CD4 transmembrane region and cytoplasmic tail. We predicted that this hybrid molecule would bind to class I MHC proteins through the extracellular domains but deliver the intracellular signals characteristic of CD4. By crossing our transgenic mice with mice expressing a transgenic alpha beta TCR specific for a particular antigen plus class I MHC protein, we were able to express the hybrid molecule in developing thymocytes expressing the class I MHC-restricted TCR. Our results show that the signal transduced by the hybrid molecule results in the differentiation of immature thymocytes expressing a class I-restricted TCR into mature T cells expressing CD4.     

A nucleoprotein peptide of influenza A virus stimulates assembly of HLA-B27 class I heavy chains and beta 2-microglobulin translated in vitro

Most cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) recognize epitopes of foreign viral proteins in association with class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Viral proteins synthesized in the cytoplasm require intracellular fragmentation and exposure to the class I antigens for the development of CTL responses. Although indirect evidence for binding of peptides to class I antigens has accumulated, direct binding has only been shown recently. The formation of complexes between peptide and class I antigen may occur in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and peptides have been shown to induce assembly of the class I complex. We have translated the messenger RNAs encoding HLA-B27 (subtype 2705) and beta 2-microglobulin in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate supplemented with human microsomal membranes (to mimic ER membranes), in the absence and presence of a peptide derived from the nucleoprotein (residues 384-394) of influenza A virus. This peptide induces CTL activity against target cells expressing the HLA-B27 antigen. Here we report direct evidence that the nucleoprotein peptide promotes assembly of the HLA-B27 heavy chain and beta 2-microglobulin, and that this can occur in the ER immediately after synthesis of the two proteins.