Autologous cellular vaccine overcomes cancer immunoediting in a mouse model of myeloma.

In the Sp6 mouse plasmacytoma model, a whole-cell vaccination with Sp6 cells expressing de novo B7-1 (Sp6/B7) induced anatomically localized and cytotoxic T cell (CTL)-mediated protection against wild-type (WT) Sp6. Both WT Sp6 and Sp6/B7 showed down-regulated expression of MHC H-2 L(d). Increase of H-2 L(d) expression by cDNA transfection (Sp6/B7/L(d)) raised tumour immune protection and shifted most CTL responses towards H-2 L(d)-restricted antigenic epitopes. The tumour-protective responses were not specific for the H-2 L(d)-restricted immunodominant AH1 epitope of the gp70 common mouse tumour antigen, although WT Sp6 and transfectants were able to present it to specific T cells in vitro. Gp70 transcripts, absent in secondary lymphoid organs of naive mice, were detected in immunized mice as well as in splenocytes from naive mice incubated in vitro with supernatants of CTL-lysed Sp6 cell cultures, containing damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). It has been shown that Toll-like receptor triggering induces gp70 expression. Damage-associated molecular patterns are released by CTL-mediated killing of Sp6/B7-Sp6/B7/L(d) cells migrated to draining lymph nodes during immunization and may activate gp70 expression and presentation in most resident antigen-presenting cells. The same could also apply for Mus musculus endogenous ecotropic murine leukaemia virus 1 particles present in Sp6-cytosol, discharged by dying cells and superinfecting antigen-presenting cells. The outcome of such a massive gp70 cross-presentation would probably be tolerogenic for the high-affinity AH1-gp70-specific CTL clones. In this scenario, autologous whole-tumour-cell vaccines rescue tumour-specific immunoprotection by amplification of subdominant tumour antigen responses when those against the immune dominant antigens are lost.

The similar expression pattern of MHC class I molecules in human and mouse cerebellar cortex.

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules are considered to be important in the immune system. However, the results reported in the past decade indicate that they also play important roles in the central nervous system. Here we examined the expression of MHC I and ß2-microglobulin (ß2m) in human and mouse cerebellar cortex. The results show that MHC I molecules are expressed both in human and mouse cerebellar cortex during brain development. The expression of H-2K(b)/D(b) is gradually increased with the development of mouse cerebellar cortex, but finally decreased to a very low level. Similarly, the expression of HLA-B/C genes is increased in developing human cerebellar cortex, but decreased after birth. The spatial and temporal expression of ß2m overlaps mostly with that of HLA-B/C molecules, and they are co-expressed in Purkinje cells. Our findings provide a fundamental basis to reveal the functions of neuronal MHC class I molecules in the development of human cerebellum.

Skewing of the NK cell repertoire by MHC class I via quantitatively controlled enrichment and contraction of specific Ly49 subsets.

A major task for the immune system is to secure powerful immune reactions while preserving self-tolerance. This process is particularly challenging for NK cells, for which tolerizing inhibitory receptors for self-MHC class I is both cross-reactive and expressed in an overlapping fashion between NK cells. We show in this study that during an education process, self-MHC class I molecules enrich for potentially useful and contract potentially dangerous NK cell subsets. These processes were quantitatively controlled by the expression level of the educating MHC class I allele, correlated with susceptibility to IL-15 and sensitivity to apoptosis in relevant NK cell subsets, and were linked to their functional education. Controlling the size of NK cell subsets with unique compositions of inhibitory receptors may represent one mechanism by which self-MHC class I molecules generate a population of tolerant NK cells optimally suited for efficient missing self-recognition.

The expression pattern of classical MHC class I molecules in the development of mouse central nervous system.

Classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I, first identified in the immune system, is also expressed in the developing and adult central nervous system (CNS). Although the MHC class I molecules have been found to be expressed in the CNS of different species, a necessary step to elucidate the temporal and spatial expression patterns of MHC class I molecules in the brain development has never been taken. Frozen sections were made from the brains of embryonic and postnatal C57BL/6 J mice, and the expression of H-2D(b) mRNA was examined by in situ hybridization. Immunofluorescence was also performed to define the cell types that express H2-D(b) in P15 mice. At E10.5, the earliest stage we examined, H2-D(b) was expressed in neuroepithelium of the brain vesicles. From E12.5 to P0, H2-D(b) expression was mainly located at cerebral cortex, neuroepithelium of the lateral ventricle, neuroepithelium of aquaeductus and developing cerebellum. From P4 to adult, H2-D(b) mRNA was detected at olfactory bulb, hippocampus, cerebellum and some nerve nuclei. The major cell types expressing H-2D(b) in P15 hippocampus, cerebral cortex and olfactory bulb were neuron. H2-K(b) signal paralleled that of H2-D(b) and the expression levels of the two molecules were comparable throughout the brain. The investigation of the expression pattern of H-2D(b) at both embryonic and postnatal stages is important for further understanding the physiological and pathological roles of H2-D(b) in the developing CNS.

Transplantation tolerance to a single noninherited MHC class I maternal alloantigen studied in a TCR-transgenic mouse model.

The mechanisms underlying tolerance to noninherited maternal Ags (NIMA) are not fully understood. In this study, we designed a double-transgenic model in which all the offspring's CD8(+) T cells corresponded to a single clone recognizing the K(b) MHC class I protein. In contrast, the mother and the father of the offspring differed by the expression of a single Ag, K(b), that served as NIMA. We investigated the influence of NIMA exposure on the offspring thymic T cell selection during ontogeny and on its peripheral T cell response during adulthood. We observed that anti-K(b) thymocytes were exposed to NIMA and became activated during fetal life but were not deleted. Strikingly, adult mice exposed to NIMA accepted permanently K(b+) heart allografts despite the presence of normal levels of anti-K(b) TCR transgenic T cells. Transplant tolerance was associated with a lack of a proinflammatory alloreactive T cell response and an activation/expansion of T cells producing IL-4 and IL-10. In addition, we observed that tolerance to NIMA K(b) was abrogated via depletion of CD4(+) but not CD8(+) T cells and could be transferred to naive nonexposed mice via adoptive transfer of CD4(+)CD25(high) T cell expressing Foxp3 isolated from NIMA mice.

Distinct pathways generate peptides from defective ribosomal products for CD8+ T cell immunosurveillance.

To understand better the endogenous sources of MHC class I peptide ligands, we generated an antigenic reporter protein whose degradation is rapidly and reversibly controlled with Shield-1, a cell-permeant drug. Using this system, we demonstrate that defective ribosomal products (DRiPs) represent a major and highly efficient source of peptides and are completely resistant to our attempts to stabilize the protein. Although peptides also derive from nascent Shield-1-sensitive proteins and "retirees" created by Shield-1 withdrawal, these are much less efficient sources on a molar basis. We use this system to identify two drugs--each known to inhibit polyubiquitin chain disassembly--that selectively inhibit presentation of Shield-1-resistant DRiPs. These findings provide the initial evidence for distinct biochemical pathways for presentation of DRiPs versus retirees and implicate polyubiquitin chain disassembly or the actions of deubiquitylating enzymes as playing an important role in DRiP presentation.

Defective ribosomal products are the major source of antigenic peptides endogenously generated from influenza A virus neuraminidase.

The defective ribosomal product (DRiP) hypothesis of endogenous Ag processing posits that rapidly degraded forms of nascent proteins are a major source of peptide ligands for MHC class I molecules. Although there is broad experimental support for the DRiP hypothesis, careful kinetic analysis of the generation of defined peptide class I complexes has been limited to studies of recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing genes derived from other organisms. In this study, we show that insertion of the SIINFEKL peptide into the stalk of influenza A virus neuraminidase (NA) does not detectably modify NA folding, degradation, transport, or sp. act. when expressed in its natural context of influenza A virus infection. Using the 25-D1.16 mAb specific for K(b)-SIINFEKL to precisely quantitate cell surface complexes by flow cytometry, we demonstrate that SIINFEKL is generated in complete lockstep with initiation and abrogation of NA biosynthesis in both L-K(b) fibroblast cells and DC2.4 dendritic/monocyte cells. SIINFEKL presentation requires active proteasomes and TAP, consistent with its generation from a cytosolic DRiP pool. From the difference in the shutoff kinetics of K(b)-SIINFEKL complex expression following protein synthesis versus proteasome inhibition, we estimate that the t(1/2) of the biosynthetic source of NA peptide is approximately 5 min. These observations extend the relevance of the DRiP hypothesis to viral proteins generated in their natural context.

Cutting edge: antigen presentation to CD8 T cells after influenza A virus infection.

Influenza A virus infection induces massive inflammation and lung damage. Activation of CD8 T cells by dendritic cells (DCs) is necessary to control disease. We undertook studies to track directly Ag presentation to CD8 T cells in vivo through the first 72 h after infection with OVA-expressing influenza A virus. We found that Ag presentation by DCs occurs strictly in the draining lymph nodes and not within the lung itself. Surprisingly, Ag presentation was found to be mediated by a CD11b(+) DC population. Finally, the expression of antigenic complexes on DCs correlated with the location and timing of CD8 T cell activation. These results have implications for approaches to control influenza A virus infection.

Sensory adaptation in naive peripheral CD4 T cells.

T cell receptor interactions with peptide/major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) ligands control the selection of T cells in the thymus as well as their homeostasis in peripheral lymphoid organs. Here we show that pMHC contact modulates the expression of CD5 by naive CD4 T cells in a process that requires the continued expression of p56(lck). Reduced CD5 levels in T cells deprived of pMHC contact are predictive of elevated Ca(2)+ responses to subsequent TCR engagement by anti-CD3 or nominal antigen. Adaptation to peripheral pMHC contact may be important for regulating naive CD4 T cell responsiveness.

Upregulation of class I major histocompatibility complex gene expression in primary sensory neurons, satellite cells, and Schwann cells of mice in response to acute but not latent herpes simplex virus infection in vivo.

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) deficiency is typical of almost all resident cells in normal neural tissue. However, CD8+ T cells, which recognize antigenic peptides in the context of class I MHC molecules, are known to mediate clearance of herpes simplex virus (HSV) from spinal ganglia of experimentally infected mice, leading to the hypothesis that class I expression in the peripheral nervous system must be upregulated in response to HSV infection. In addressing this hypothesis it is shown, in BALB/c (H-2d) mice, that normally deficient class I transcripts transiently accumulate in peripheral nerve Schwann cells, ganglionic satellite cells, and primary sensory neurons, indicating that in each of these cell types class I expression is regulated at the transcriptional level in vivo. Furthermore, for 3-4 wk after infection, H-2Kd/Dd antigens are expressed by satellite and Schwann cells but not neurons, suggesting additional posttranscriptional regulation of class I synthesis in neurons. Alternatively, the class I RNAs induced in neurons may not be derived from classical class I genes. Factors regulating H-2 class I expression emanate from within infected ganglia, probably from infected neurons themselves. However, induction of class I molecules was not maintained during latency, when viral gene expression in neurons is restricted to a single region within the virus repeats. These data have implications for the long-term survival of cells in HSV-infected neural tissue.

Intermediates in the assembly and degradation of class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules probed with free heavy chain-specific monoclonal antibodies.

Unassembled (free) heavy chains appear during two stages of the class I MHC molecule's existence: immediately after translation but before assembly with peptide and beta 2-microglobulin, and later, upon disintegration of the heterotrimeric complex. To characterize the structures of folding and degradation intermediates of the class I heavy chain, three monoclonal antibodies have been produced that recognize epitopes along the H-2K(b) heavy chain which are obscured upon proper folding and subsequent assembly with beta 2-microglobulin (KU1: residues 49-54; KU2: residues 23-30; KU4: residues 193-198). The K(b) heavy chain is inserted into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum in an unfolded state reactive with KU1, KU2, and KU4. Shortly after completion of the polypeptide chain, reactivity with KU1, KU2, and KU4 is lost synchronously, suggesting that folding of the class I heavy chain is a rapid, cooperative process. Perturbation of the folding environment in intact cells with the reducing agent dithiothreitol or the trimming glucosidase inhibitor N-7-oxadecyl-deoxynojirimycin prolongs the presence of mAb-reactive K(b) heavy chains. At the cell surface, a pool of free K(b) heavy chains appears after 60-120 min of chase, whose subsequent degradation, but not their initial appearance, is impaired in the presence of concanamycin B, an inhibitor of vacuolar acidification. Thus, free heavy chains that arise at the cell surface are destroyed after internalization.

Peptide-independent recognition by alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL).

We have isolated several H-2K(b)-alloreactive cytotoxic T cell clones and analyzed their reactivity for several forms of H-2K(b). These cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) were elicited by priming with a skin graft followed by in vitro stimulation using stimulator cells that express an H-2K(b) molecule unable to bind CD8. In contrast to most alloreactive T cells, these CTL were able to recognize H-2K(b) on the surface of the antigen processing defective cell lines RMA-S and T2. Furthermore, this reactivity was not increased by the addition of an extract containing peptides from C57BL/6 (H-2(b)) spleen cells, nor was the reactivity decreased by treating the target cells with acid to remove peptides bound to MHC molecules. The CTL were also capable of recognizing targets expressing the mutant H-2K(bm8) molecule. These findings suggested that the clones recognized determinants on H-2K(b) that were independent of peptide. Further evidence for this hypothesis was provided by experiments in which H-2K(b) produced in Drosophila melanogaster cells and immobilized on the surface of a tissue culture plate was able to stimulate hybridomas derived from these alloreactive T cells. Precursor frequency analysis demonstrated that skin graft priming, whether with skin expressing the wild-type or the mutant H-2K(b) molecule, is a strong stimulus to elicit peptide-independent CTL. Moreover, reconstitution experiments demonstrated that the peptide-independent CTL clones were capable of mediating rapid and complete rejection of H-2-incompatible skin grafts. These findings provide evidence that not all allorecognition is peptide dependent.

Consequences of cytotoxic T lymphocyte interaction with major histocompatibility complex class I-expressing neurons in vivo.

Neurons have evolved strategies to evade immune surveillance that include an inability to synthesize the heavy chain of the class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC), proteins that are necessary for cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) recognition of target cells. Multiple viruses have taken advantage of the lack of CTL-mediated recognition and killing of neurons by establishing persistent neuronal infections and thereby escaping attack by antiviral CTL. We have expressed a class I MHC molecule (Db) in neurons of transgenic mice using the neuron-specific enolase (NSE) promoter to determine the pathogenic consequences of CTL recognition of virally infected, MHC-expressing central nervous system (CNS) neurons. The NSE-Db transgene was expressed in H-2b founder mice, and transgene-derived messenger RNA was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in transgenic brains from several lines. Purified primary neurons from transgenic but not from nontransgenic mice adhered to coverslips coated with a conformation-dependent monoclonal antibody directed against the Dv molecule and presented viral peptide to CTL in an MHC-restricted manner, indicating that the Db molecule was expressed on transgenic neurons in a functional form. Transgenic mice infected with the neurotropic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and given anti-LCMV, MHC-restricted CTL displayed a high morbidity and mortality when compared with controls receiving MHC-mismatched CTL or expressing alternative transgenes. After CTL transfer, transgenic brains showed an increased number of CD8+ cells compared with nontransgenic controls as well as an increased rate of clearance of infectious virus from the CNS. Additionally, an increase in blood-brain barrier permeability was detected during viral clearance in NSE-Db transgenic mice and lasted several months after clearance of virus from neurons. In contrast, LCMV-infected, nontransgenic littermates and mice expressing other gene products from the NSE promoter showed no CNS disease, no increased intraparenchymal CTL, and no blood-brain barrier damage after the adoptive transfer of antiviral CTL. Our study indicates that viral infections and CTL-CNS interactions may induce blood-brain barrier disruptions and neurologic disease by a "hit-and-run" mechanism, triggering a cascade of pathogenic events that proceeds in the absence of continual viral stimulation.

Major histocompatibility complex conformational epitopes are peptide specific.

Serologically distinct forms of H-2Kb are stabilized by loading cells expressing "empty" class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules with different H-2Kb binding peptides. The H-2Kb epitope recognized by monoclonal antibody (mAb) 28.8.6 was stabilized by ovalbumin (OVA) (257-264) and murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) pp89 (168-176) peptides, but not by vesicular stomatic virus nucleoprotein (VSV NP) (52-59) and influenza NP (Y345-360) peptides. The H-2Kb epitope recognized by mAb 34.4.20 was stabilized by VSV NP (52-59) peptide but not by OVA (257-264), MCMV pp89 (168-176), or influenza NP (Y345-360) peptides. Immunoprecipitation of H-2Kb molecules from normal cells showed that 28.8.6 and 34.4.20 epitopes were only present on a subset of all conformationally reactive H-2Kb molecules. Using alanine-substituted derivatives of the VSV peptide, the 28.8.6 epitope was completely stabilized by substitution of the first residue and partially stabilized by substitution of the third or the fifth residues in the peptides. These results indicate that distinct conformational MHC epitopes are dependent on the specific peptide that occupies the antigenic peptide binding groove on individual MHC molecules. The changes in MHC epitopes observed may also be important in understanding the diversity of T cell receptors used in an immune response and the influence of peptides on development of the T cell repertoire.

Induction of unresponsiveness and impaired T cell expansion by staphylococcal enterotoxin B in CD28-deficient mice.

We used CD28-deficient mice to analyze the importance of CD28 costimulation for the response against Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in vivo. CD28 was necessary for the strong expansion of V beta 8+ T cells, but not for deletion. The lack of expansion was not due to a failure of SEB to activate V beta 8+ T cells, as V beta 8+ T cells from both CD28-/- and CD28+/+ mice showed similar phenotypic changes within the first 24 h after SEB injection and cell cycle analysis showed that an equal percentage of V beta 8+ T cells started to proliferate. However, the phenotype and the state of proliferation of V beta 8+ T cells was different at later time points. Furthermore, in CD28-/- mice injection with SEB led to rapid induction of unresponsiveness in SEB responsive T cells, indicated by a drastic reduction of proliferation after secondary SEB stimulation in vitro. Unresponsiveness could also be demonstrated in vivo, as CD28-/- mice produced only marginal amounts of TNF alpha after rechallenge with SEB. In addition CD28-/- mice were protected against a lethal toxic shock induced by a second injection with SEB. Our results indicate that CD28 costimulation is crucial for the T cell-mediated toxicity of SEB and demonstrate that T cell stimulation in the absence of CD28 costimulation induces unresponsiveness in vivo.

Differential induction of H-2K versus H-2D class I major histocompatibility antigens by recombinant gamma interferon. Lack of Kk augmentation in a leukemia virus-induced tumor is due to a cis-dominant effect.

T-T tumor hybrids were constructed between the AKR SL3 thymoma and an H-2-distinguishable thymoma cell line. Hybrids were stimulated with IFN-gamma to determine whether the differential augmentation of H-2D vs. H-2K class I antigen expression by AKR SL3 in response to IFN-gamma was due to effects cis or trans to the noninducible Kk gene. For each of a large number of hybrids tested, the expression of H-2Db, Kb, and Dk, but not Kk, was substantially enhanced by murine rIFN-gamma. These results suggested that the lack of induction of the Kk gene was due to an alteration cis to Kk rather than to the presence or absence of K region-specific, trans-acting negative or positive factors, respectively.

Natural killer cell tolerance in mice with mosaic expression of major histocompatibility complex class I transgene.

We have studied natural killer (NK) cell tolerance in a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I transgenic line, DL6, in which the transgene product was expressed on only a fraction of blood cells. In contrast with transgenic mice expressing the same transgene in all cells, NK cells from mosaic mice failed to reject transgene-negative bone marrow or lymphoma grafts. However, they retained the capability to reject cells with a total missing-self phenotype, i.e., cells lacking also wild-type MHC class I molecules. Tolerance against transgene-negative cells was demonstrated also in vitro, and could be broken if transgene-positive spleen cells of mosaic mice were separated from negative cells before, or after 4 d of culture in interleukin-2. The results provide support for selective NK cell tolerance to one particular missing-self phenotype but not to another. We suggest that this tolerance is determined by NK cell interactions with multiple cells in the environment, and that it is dominantly controlled by the presence of cells lacking a specific MHC class I ligand. Furthermore, the tolerant NK cells could be reactivated in vitro, which suggests that the tolerance occurs without deletion of the potentially autoreactive NK cell subset(s), and that it may be dependent upon the continuous presence of tolerizing cells.

Analysis of the expression of peptide-major histocompatibility complexes using high affinity soluble divalent T cell receptors.

Understanding the regulation of cell surface expression of specific peptide-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) complexes is hindered by the lack of direct quantitative analyses of specific peptide-MHC complexes. We have developed a direct quantitative biochemical approach by engineering soluble divalent T cell receptor analogues (TCR-Ig) that have high affinity for their cognate peptide-MHC ligands. The generality of this approach was demonstrated by specific staining of peptide-pulsed cells with two different TCR-Ig complexes: one specific for the murine alloantigen 2C, and one specific for a viral peptide from human T lymphocyte virus-1 presented by human histocompatibility leukocyte antigens-A2. Further, using 2C TCR- Ig, a more detailed analysis of the interaction with cognate peptide-MHC complexes revealed several interesting findings. Soluble divalent 2C TCR-Ig detected significant changes in the level of specific antigenic-peptide MHC cell surface expression in cells treated with gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN). Interestingly, the effects of gamma-IFN on expression of specific peptide-MHC complexes recognized by 2C TCR-Ig were distinct from its effects on total H-2 Ld expression; thus, lower doses of gamma-IFN were required to increase expression of cell surface class I MHC complexes than were required for upregulation of expression of specific peptide-MHC complexes. Analysis of the binding of 2C TCR-Ig for specific peptide-MHC ligands unexpectedly revealed that the affinity of the 2C TCR-Ig for the naturally occurring alloreactive, putatively, negatively selecting, complex, dEV-8-H-2 Kbm3, is very low, weaker than 71 microM. The affinity of the 2C TCR for the other naturally occurring, negatively selecting, alloreactive complex, p2Ca-H-2 Ld, is approximately 1000-fold higher. Thus, negatively selecting peptide-MHC complexes do not necessarily have intrinsically high affinity for cognate TCR. These results, uniquely revealed by this analysis, indicate the importance of using high affinity biologically relevant cognates, such as soluble divalent TCR, in furthering our understanding of immune responses.

Activation of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes by beta 2-microglobulin or TAP1 gene disruption and the introduction of recipient-matched MHC class I gene in allogeneic embryonic stem cell-derived dendritic cells.

A method for the genetic modification of dendritic cells (DC) was previously established based on the in vitro differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells to DC (ES-DC). The unavailability of human ES cells genetically identical to the patients will be a problem in the future clinical application of this technology. This study attempted to establish a strategy to overcome this issue. The TAP1 or beta(2)-microglobulin (beta(2)m) gene was disrupted in 129 (H-2(b))-derived ES cells and then expression vectors for the H-2K(d) or beta(2)m-linked form of K(d) (beta2m-K(d)) were introduced, thus resulting in two types of genetically engineered ES-DC, TAP1(-/-)/K(d) ES-DC and beta(2)m(-/-)/beta(2)m-K(d) ES-DC. As intended, both of the transfectant ES-DC expressed K(d) but not the intrinsic H-2(b) haplotype-derived MHC class I. Beta(2)m(-/-)/beta(2)m-K(d) and TAP1(-/-)/K(d) ES-DC were not recognized by pre-activated H-2(b)-reactive CTL and did not prime H-2(b) reactive CTL in vitro or in vivo. Beta(2)m(-/-)/beta(2)m-K(d) ES-DC and TAP1(-/-)/K(d) ES-DC had a survival advantage in comparison to beta(2)m(+/-)/beta(2)m-K(d) ES-DC and TAP1(+/+)/K(d) ES-DC, when transferred into BALB/c mice. K(d)-restricted RSV-M2-derived peptide-loaded ES-DC could prime the epitope-specific CTL upon injection into the BALB/c mice, irrespective of the cell surface expression of intrinsic H-2(b) haplotype-encoded MHC class I. Beta(2)m(-/-)/beta(2)m-K(d) ES-DC were significantly more efficient in eliciting immunity against RSV M2 protein-expressing tumor cells than beta(2)m(+/-)/beta(2)m-K(d) ES-DC. The modification of the beta(2)m or TAP gene may therefore be an effective strategy to resolve the problem of HLA class I allele mismatch between human ES or induced pluripotent stem cells and the recipients to be treated.

Astrocytes produce interferon that enhances the expression of H-2 antigens on a subpopulation of brain cells.

Using primary culture methods, we show that purified astrocytes from embryonic mouse or rat central nervous system (CNS) can be induced to produce interferon (IFN) activity when pretreated with a standard IFN-superinducing regimen of polyribonucleotide, cycloheximide, and actinomycin D, whereas IFN activity was not inducible in neuronal cultures derived from mouse CNS. Astrocyte IFN displays inductive, kinetic, physicochemical, and antigenic properties similar to those of IFN-alpha/beta, but is dissimilar to lymphocyte IFN (IFN-gamma). Treatment of pure astrocytic cultures or astrocytes cultured with neurons with astrocyte IFN or IFN-alpha/beta induced a dramatic increase in the expression of H-2 antigens on a subpopulation of astrocytes. Neither neurons nor oligodendroglia expressed detectable levels of H-2 antigens when exposed to astrocyte IFN, IFN-alpha/beta, or to IFN-beta. Injection of astrocyte IFN or IFN-alpha/beta directly into brains of newborn mice indicated that H-2 antigens were also induced in vivo. None of the IFNs (astrocyte, alpha/beta, or beta) tested induced Ia antigens on CNS cells in vitro or in vivo. Since H-2 antigens have a critical role in immune responses, astrocyte IFN may initiate and participate in immune reactions that contribute to immunoprotective and immunopathological responses in the CNS.