A murine class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) heterodimer, Ek, expressed as a glycan-phosphatidyl inositol-anchored chimera on Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, can present peptides, but not processed antigen to T cells. This chimeric MHC requires a 100-times higher peptide concentration to achieve a two- to four-times lower level of T cell stimulation. Cleavage with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and purification result in large quantities of heterodimer in a water-soluble form. Plates coated with this material and then incubated with peptide can efficiently stimulate the appropriate T cell hybridomas. This stimulation is significantly enhanced when peptides are preincubated with the plate-bound MHC molecules in a pH range (5.0-5.5) similar to that of late endosomes. More than half of the soluble Ek molecules can form a specific complex with cytochrome c peptides in this pH range. This suggests that class II MHC molecules undergo distinct conformational changes in endosomal compartments that render them more capable of forming functional complexes with peptide antigens, irrespective of other cell components.
Article|
July 01 1991
Expression of a class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) heterodimer in a lipid-linked form with enhanced peptide/soluble MHC complex formation at low pH.
D A Wettstein,
D A Wettstein
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, California 94305.
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J J Boniface,
J J Boniface
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, California 94305.
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P A Reay,
P A Reay
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, California 94305.
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H Schild,
H Schild
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, California 94305.
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M M Davis
M M Davis
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, California 94305.
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D A Wettstein
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, California 94305.
J J Boniface
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, California 94305.
P A Reay
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, California 94305.
H Schild
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, California 94305.
M M Davis
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, California 94305.
Online ISSN: 1540-9538
Print ISSN: 0022-1007
J Exp Med (1991) 174 (1): 219–228.
Citation
D A Wettstein, J J Boniface, P A Reay, H Schild, M M Davis; Expression of a class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) heterodimer in a lipid-linked form with enhanced peptide/soluble MHC complex formation at low pH.. J Exp Med 1 July 1991; 174 (1): 219–228. doi: https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.174.1.219
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