The HLA-A*68:23 allele in the Chilean population.

HLA-A*68:23, first described in 2002, has not been widely reported. The studies reported here were performed for support of a collaborative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation program at Luis Calvo Mackenna Hospital for which St. Jude Children's Research Hospital provided human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing. Family studies performed between 2000 and 2011 included 197 patients and their immediate family members. In a total of 559 individuals, A*68:23 was confirmed by DNA sequencing in eight individuals with no known relationship to each other. A*68:23 positive individuals included six patients, along with one of their parents, and two parents whose children did not inherit A*68:23. The frequency of A*68:23 in this Chilean population is >0.0125. This HLA-A allele appears to fit the description of a well-documented allele in this population studied in Santiago, Chile.

Class II MHC/peptide complexes are released from APC and are acquired by T cell responders during specific antigen recognition.

T cell expression of class II MHC/peptide complexes may be important for maintenance of peripheral self-tolerance, but mechanisms underlying the genesis of class II MHC glycoproteins on T cells are not well resolved. T cell APC (T-APC) used herein were transformed IL-2-dependent clones that constitutively synthesized class II MHC glycoproteins. When pulsed with myelin basic protein (MBP) and injected into Lewis rats, these T-APC reduced the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, whereas unpulsed T-APC were without activity. Normal MBP-reactive clones cultured without APC did not express class II MHC even when activated with mitogens and exposed to IFN-gamma. However, during a 4-h culture with T-APC or macrophage APC, recognition of MBP or mitogenic activation of responder T cells elicited high levels of I-A and I-E expression on responders. Acquisition of class II MHC glycoproteins by responders was resistant to the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, coincided with transfer of a PKH26 lipophilic dye from APC to responders, and resulted in the expression of syngeneic and allogeneic MHC glycoproteins on responders. Unlike rested I-A- T cell clones, rat thymic and splenic T cells expressed readily detectable levels of class II MHC glycoproteins. When preactivated with mitogens, naive T cells acquired APC-derived MHC class II molecules and other membrane-associated proteins when cultured with xenogeneic APC in the absence of Ag. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that APC donate membrane-bound peptide/MHC complexes to Ag-specific T cell responders by a mechanism associated with the induction of tolerance.

Vesicles bearing MHC class II molecules mediate transfer of antigen from antigen-presenting cells to CD4+ T cells.

Previous studies have provided evidence that myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific rat T cells acquire antigen via transfer of preformed peptide/MHC class II complexes from splenic antigen-presenting cells (APC). The purpose of the present study was to determine how T cells acquire peptide/MHC class II complexes from APC in vitro. Our results show that a MHC class II+ T cell line, R1-trans, released MHC class II-bearing vesicles that directly stimulated MBP-specific CD4+ T cells. Vesicles expressing complexes of MHC class II and MBP were also specifically cytotoxic to MBP-specific T cells. Surviving T cells acquired MHC class II/antigen complexes from these vesicles by a mechanism that did not require protein synthesis but depended on specific TCR interactions with peptide/self MHC complexes. Furthermore, MBP/MHC class II-bearing vesicles enabled T cells to present MBP to other T cell responders. These studies provide evidence that APC release vesicles expressing preformed peptide/MHC class II complexes that interact with clonotypic TCR, allowing MHC class II acquisition by T cells. Vesicular transport of antigen/MHC class II complexes from professional APC to T cells may represent an important mechanism of communication among cells of the immune system.

A novel monoclonal antibody against rat LFA-1: blockade of LFA-1 and CD4 augments class II MHC expression on T cells.

Previously, we have shown that myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific Lewis rat GP2.E5/R1 (R1) T cells cultured with antigen and irradiated syngeneic splenocytes (IrrSPL) in the presence of anti-CD4 and LRTC1 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) become highly effective antigen presenting cells (APC). The purpose of these studies was to identify the ligand for the LRTC1 MAb and to determine whether this MAb affected MBP-stimulated IL-2 production and expression of MHC class II molecules by T cells. In the current studies, we show that the LRTC1 MAb specifically immunoprecipitated molecular species of approximately 95, 150, and 180 kD. Commercially available anti-CD18 (beta2 integrin, beta-chain of LFA-1, MAC-1, and p150, 95) and LRTC1 MAb immunoprecipitated proteins with identical mobilities on 1-D and 2-D SDS-PAGE gels. Moreover, anti-CD18 and LRTC1 immunoprecipitates also showed identical mobilities on 1-D gels after enzymatic cleavage of N-linked oligosaccharides and thereby had the same patterns of differential glycosylation. Anti-CD4 MAb W3/25 and LRTC1 MAb synergistically inhibited T-cell IL-2 mRNA and IL-2 bioactivity, but augmented antigen-stimulated surface I-A on R1 T cells. In conclusion, these studies describe the characteristics of a novel anti-LFA-1 MAb, LRTC1, which should prove useful in studying costimulatory and adhesion pathways among rat leukocytes.

Partial agonism elicits an enduring phase of T-cell-medicated antigen presentation.

Previous studies have shown that the anti-CD4 mAb W3/25 strongly enhances T cell APC (T-APC) activity. In this study, single positive CD4+ and double negative (DN) (CD4-CD8-) T-helper cells specific for the 55-69 or 72-86 sequence of guinea pig (GP) myelin basic protein (GPMBP) were used to study CD4 regulation of T-APC activity. Clones were cultured with irradiated SPL and GPMBP or rat (R) MBP for 2-3 days, were propagated in IL-2 for another 1-3 days, were irradiated, and were used as T-APC. DN T cells specific for GP55-69 effectively presented GPMBP and were superior APC compared to other CD4+ T cells for presentation of this antigen. In contrast, DN T cells specific for the dominant encephalitogenic 72-86 determinant did not effectively present the agonist GPMBP but potently presented the partial agonist RMBP. The heightened APC activity of DN T cells reflected the lack of CD4 because the anti-CD4 mAb W3/25 promoted T-APC activity of CD4+ T cells to those levels expressed by DN T cells. Overall, T cells with potent reactivity to GPMBP or RMBP were subsequently unable to present that antigen, whereas T cells exhibiting partial or low antigen reactivities were highly effective APC for presentation of that antigen. The unrelated antigen conalbumin was presented by MBP-specific clones only when added to culture with a specific partial agonist. Together, these data indicate that partially agonistic MHC ligands promote prolonged expression of T-APC activity and that DN T cells may be specialized to mediate postactivational antigen presentation.

Class II MHC/peptide complexes on T cell antigen-presenting cells: agonistic antigen recognition inhibits subsequent antigen presentation.

Previous studies have shown that tolerogenic anti-CD4 (W3/25) and anti-LFA-1 mAb (LRTC1) which block T cell activation paradoxically enhance T cell-mediated antigen presentation. Lasting T cell APC (T-APC) activity requires and initial exposure of T cells to these mAb in the presence of professional APC and antigen. This study revealed a central mechanism regulating the duration of T-APC activity. T cell recognition of class II MHC complexes of T-APC catalyzed a rapid decay in the presentation of agonistic antigens, whereas partial agonistic signals decayed at a shower rate. Likewise, blockade of agonistic T-T cell autorecognition by these mAb led to the persistence of agonistic MHC/antigen on T-APC. The best predictor of T-APC activity was related to the ability of clonal T cells to respond to antigen presented by neighboring T cells. Strong responders were inefficient T-APC, whereas inefficient responders were strong T-APC. Addition of irradiated myelin basic protein (MBP0-specific responders to T-APC cultures specifically inhibited the subsequent presentation of MBP but not conalbumin, and vice versa. T-APC presentation of antigen to responder T cells also resulted in reduced surface expression of class II MHC I-A glycoproteins on T-APC. These findings indicate that agonistic recognition of antigen of T-APC specifically inhibits subsequent presentation of that antigen, whereas antagonistic MHC/antigen complexes are preserved for an enduring T-APC activity.

Antigen presentation by T cells: T cell receptor ligation promotes antigen acquisition from professional antigen-presenting cells.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the clonotypic specificity of the T cell receptor influences the specificity of T cell-mediated antigen presentation. We have previously shown that myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific Lewis rat GP2.E5/R1 (R1) T cells cultured with antigen, irradiated syngeneic splenocytes (IrrSPL) and tolerogenic monoclonal antibody become highly effective antigen-presenting cells (APC). In the current studies, we investigated the transfer of specific (MBP) and unrelated (conalbumin) antigens from antigen-pulsed SPL to R1 T cells. R1 T cells cultured with IrrSPL that were pulsed simultaneously with both MBP and conalbumin acquired and presented both antigens to the appropriate T cell responders in a secondary assay. These results suggested a physical transfer of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)/peptide complexes from professional APC to R1 T cells. Transfer of conalbumin from professional APC to R1 T cells required specific recognition of MBP and was optimal when both conalbumin and MBP were presented on the same group of professional APC. Antigens transfer did not occur when allogeneic SPL were used as APC. The anti-I-A mAb OX6 inhibited antigen transfer but only when added during the initiation of culture. OX6 also inhibited antigen acquisition by R1-trans, a variant of the R1 T cell line which constitutively synthesizes high levels of I-A, from MBP-pulsed IrrSPL but blockade of I-A did not inhibit antigen acquisition when soluble MBP was added directly to the culture. Despite constitutive synthesis of I-A, R1-trans T cells did not acquire guinea pig MBP from pulsed allogeneic APC. These studies demonstrate that although T cells of a particular specificity can present unrelated antigens, the cognate interaction of the T cell antigen receptor with the appropriate antigen/self-MHC complex strongly promotes acquisition of these complexes from professional APC.

Anergy-associated T cell antigen presentation. A mechanism of infectious tolerance in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

CD4+ T cells promote immune responses against foreign Ags while actively suppressing responses against self Ags. To address how CD4+ T cells ensure self-tolerance, we focused on two CD4+ T helper cells specific for myelin basic protein (MBP). GP2.E5/R1 T cells recognized rat MBP (RMBP) as a partial agonist and mediated mild experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), whereas R2 T cells recognized RMBP with full efficacy and mediated severe EAE. GP2.E5/R1 T cells were more susceptible to anergy induction than R2 T cells. Anergic GP2.E5/R1 T cells lacked proliferative reactivity, but expressed both I-A glycoproteins and high levels of radioresistant APC activity. During induction of anergy, these T cells acquired the ability to present MBP. In a separate subsequent culture without further addition of Ag, anergic GP2.E5/R1 T cells elicited full proliferative and IL-2 production responses by R2 T cells. Unlike activations induced via irradiated splenocytes, irradiated anergic T cells elicited anergy in R2 T cells in the form of a postactivational phase of nonresponsiveness. Anergic GP2.E5/R1 T cells not only transferred anergy to pathogenic R2 T cells in vitro, but these anergic T cells also transferred resistance to EAE in Lewis rats subsequently challenged with guinea pig MBP in CFA. Antagonistic signaling by autologous RMBP was more tolerogenic than that of guinea pig MBP in both in vitro and in vivo models of infectious anergy. We conclude that in the presence of tolerogenic mAb, antagonistic signaling by a self protein elicited the coordinate expression of anergy and T cell-mediated APC activity as a mechanism for the genesis and spread of infectious tolerance.