The effect of brain-enriched gangliosides on constitutive and cytokine-inducible expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II genes in cultured astrocytes was studied. Before treatment with gangliosides, astrocytes expressed constitutive MHC class I but not class II molecules, however, the expression of both MHC class I and II cell surface molecules on astrocytes was indu...

BACKGROUND The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is the most important genomic region that contributes to the risk of graft versus host disease (GVHD) after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Matching of MHC class I and II genes is essential for the success of transplantation. However, the MHC contains additional genes that also contribute to the risk of developing acute GVHD. It is...

The crystal structures of the 2C/H-2K(bm3)-dEV8 allogeneic complex at 2.4 A and H-2K(bm3)-dEV8 at 2.15 A, when compared with their syngeneic counterparts, elucidate structural changes that induce an alloresponse. The Asp77Ser mutation that imbues H-2K(bm3)-dEV8 with its alloreactive properties is located beneath the peptide and does not directly contact the T cell receptor (TCR). However, the b...

Noncognate or self peptide-MHC (pMHC) ligands productively interact with T-cell receptor (TCR) and are always in a large access over the cognate pMHC on the surface of antigen presenting cells. We assembled soluble cognate and noncognate pMHC class I (pMHC-I) ligands at designated ratios on various scaffolds into oligomers that mimic pMHC clustering and examined how multivalency and density of ...

Major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) proteins provide protection from intracellular pathogens and cancer via each of a cell's MHC I molecules binding and presenting a peptide to cytotoxic T lymphocytes. MHC I genes are highly polymorphic and can have significant diversity, with polymorphisms predominantly localised in the peptide-binding groove where they can change peptide-binding ...

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-I and MHC-II molecules play an essential role in the immune response to pathogens by virtue of their ability to present peptides to CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells, respectively. Given this critical role, MHC-I and MHC-II genes are regulated in a tight fashion at the transcriptional level by a variety of transcription factors that interact with conserved cis-acting ...

Terminally differentiated plasma cells and mouse T cells do not express major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II genes although class II gene expression is observed in pre-B and mature B cells as well as in activated human T cells. Transient heterokaryons were prepared and analyzed to investigate the mechanisms of inactivation of MHC class II gene in mouse plasmarytoma cells and mouse T ...

Female mate-choice based on genetic compatibility is an area of growing interest. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are likely candidates for such mate-choice since these highly polymorphic genes may both increase offspring viability and also provide direct cues for mate-choice. In great reed warblers, females actively choose a breeding partner out of a handful of males that they...