Class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) cDNA clones have been isolated from an expression library derived from mRNA of an MHC homozygous Xenopus laevis. The nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences show definite similarity to MHC class I molecules of higher vertebrates. The immunoglobulin-like alpha-3 domain is more similar to the immunoglobulin-like domains of mammalian class II be...

The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) early glycoprotein products of the US11 and US2 open reading frames cause increased turnover of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I heavy chains. Since US2 is homologous to another HCMV gene (US3), we hypothesized that the US3 gene product also may affect MHC class I expression. In cells constitutively expressing the HCMV US3 gene, MHC class I heavy c...

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are a central component of the vertebrate immune system and usually exist in a single genomic region. However, considerable differences in MHC organization and size exist between different vertebrate lineages. Reptiles occupy a key evolutionary position for understanding how variation in MHC structure evolved in vertebrates, but information on the st...

Previous reports indicate that human hepatocytes do not express class I and class II MHC antigens. Our analyses on 10 human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines by immunofluorescence tests and RIA, demonstrate that all the human HCC cell lines tested express class I MHC antigens and among them, three poorly differentiated human HCC cell lines also express class II MHC antigens. Results of ...

Cell-mediated immune responses are essential for protection against many intracellular pathogens. For Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), protection requires the activity of T cells that recognize antigens presented in the context of both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and I molecules. Since MHC class I presentation generally requires antigen to be localized to the cytoplasmic co...

OBJECTIVE In vitro endothelialization has significantly improved the overall outcome of artificial prostheses in cardiovascular bypass surgery. A drawback of this tissue-engineering method remains the limited availability of suitable autologous endothelial cells (EC), especially in aged patients. Allogeneic EC with high proliferative capacity represent a potentially valuable alternative to a pa...

By providing ligands for Cytotoxic T-Lymphocytes (CTL) as well as Natural Killer (NK) cells, the HLA-A/B/C MHC class I molecules (MHC-I) play a central role in both innate and adaptive immunity. In addition to CTL-mediated recognition of MHC-peptide complexes, cell surface expression of MHC-I is closely monitored by NK cells, whose killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors encode activatory and...

We have previously reported that contact sensitivity (CS) to dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) in C57BL/6 mice was mediated by MHC class I-restricted CD8+ T cells and down-regulated by MHC class II-restricted CD4+ T cells. In this study, we analyzed the contribution of dendritic cells (DC) in the induction of these two T cell subsets endowed with opposite functions. Hapten-pulsed skin- and bone marro...

The development of type I diabetes in the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse is under the control of multiple genes, one or more of which is linked to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). The MHC class II region has been implicated in disease development, with expression of an I-E transgene in NOD mice shown to provide protection from insulitis and diabetes. To examine the effect of expressin...

Abstract MHC-I molecules are involved in the predisposition to several immune diseases. Reactive arthritis (ReA) is strongly linked with Chlamydia trachomatisinfection and HLA-B*27. However, how can contribute pathology not well understood. Chlamydiais an intracellular pathogen one of its main pathogenic factors CPAF. This enzyme secreted cytosol host during infection there no data regarding gl...