MHC class II molecules are found on the basolateral plasma membrane domain of polarized epithelial cells, where they can present Ag to intraepithelial lymphocytes in the vascular space. We have analyzed the sorting information required for efficient intracellular localization and polarized distribution of MHC class II molecules in stably transfected Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. These cells ...

Presentation of MHC class I-restricted peptides by dendritic cells (DCs) can elicit vigorous antigen-specific CTL responses in vivo. It is well established, however, that T cell help can augment CTL function, raising the question of how best to present tumor-associated MHC class I epitopes to induce effective tumor immunity. To this end, we have examined the role of MHC class II peptide-complex...

Background The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene family, a vital immune family in vertebrates, helps animals defend against pathogens. polymorphism of MHC genes is important for species and considered to be caused by the numerous alleles antigen-presenting genes. However, mechanism this process unclear due lack data on structure. evolutionary trajectories tetrapod are also because ins...

Peptide binding to MHC class II (MHCII) molecules is stabilized by hydrophobic anchoring and hydrogen bond formation. We view peptide binding as a process in which the peptide folds into the binding groove and to some extent the groove folds around the peptide. Our previous observation of cooperativity when analyzing binding properties of peptides modified at side chains with medium to high sol...

Extensive polymorphism at the major histo-compatibility complex (MHC) is thought to confer immune protection on populations. A New World primate, the cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus), has a high prevalence of ulcerative colitis and adenocarcinoma of the colon and dies after infection with several human viruses. Lymphocytes from all animals tested expressed on common MHC class I allelic pro...

This study has characterized the primary T cell subpopulations that secrete IL-2 in response to recognition of either class I or class II MHC encoded determinants. The addition to culture of anti-IL-2-R mAb inhibited the consumption of IL-2 by activated lymphocytes during the response period, permitting a much more accurate assessment of the amount of IL-2 produced in the response cultures. Usi...

The class II transactivator (CIITA) has been shown to be required for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II gene expression in B cells and its deficiency is responsible for a hereditary MHC class II deficiency. Here we show that CIITA is also involved in the inducible expression of class II genes upon interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) treatment. The expression of CIITA is also inducible wi...

Macrophages, being apparently the only cells that in vivo allow the growth of the intracellular pathogen Leishmania, are likely candidates to present antigens to Leishmania-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, known to be involved in the resolution or in the development of lesions induced by these parasites, and recognizing processed antigens bound to MHC class I and MHC class II molecules, re...

CIITA activates the expression of multiple genes involved in antigen presentation and it is believed to be required for both constitutive and IFN gamma-inducible expression of these genes. To understand the role of CIITA in vivo, we have used gene targeting to generate mice that lack CIITA. CIITA-deficient (-/-) mice do not express conventional MHC class II molecules on the surface of splenic B...