Recognition of an immunoglobulin VH epitope by influenza virus-specific class I major histocompatibility complex-restricted cytolytic T lymphocytes

• Published in: The Journal of experimental medicine Vol. 179; no. 1; pp. 195 - 202
• Main Authors: WUXIONG CAO, MYERS-POWELL, B. A, BRACIALE, T. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Rockefeller University Press 1994; The Rockefeller University Press
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cross Reactions; Epitopes - immunology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - immunology; Hybridomas; Immunobiology; Immunoglobulin Variable Region - genetics; Immunoglobulin Variable Region - immunology; Influenza A virus - immunology; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Modulation of the immune response (stimulation, suppression); Molecular Sequence Data; Peptides - immunology; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - immunology; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Heavy peptide chain; Immunoglobulins; Immune response; Immunomodulation; Variable region; Rodentia; Orthomyxoviridae; Cytotoxicity; Influenzavirus; Virus; Antigen; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Cross immunity; T-Lymphocyte; Class I histocompatibility antigen; Recognition
• ISSN: 0022-1007; 1540-9538
• DOI: 10.1084/jem.179.1.195

There are two immunogenic sites on the type A influenza A/Japan/57 (H2N2) hemagglutinin (HA) that can be recognized by class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC), H-2Kd-restricted cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs). One of these sites encompasses two distinct partially overlapping epitopes, which span HA residues 204-212 and 210-219. During the analysis of the fine specificity of CTL clones directed to the HA 210-219 epitope, we found that one clone 40-2 also recognized the myeloma cell line P3x63-Ag8. P3x63-Ag8 is derived from the MOPC 21 myeloma and expresses an immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain variable region (VH) gene which is a member of the murine 7183 VH gene family. Recognition was specific for the endogenously processed MOPC 21 heavy chain in association with the Kd molecules, since the SP2/0 derivative of P3x63-Ag8, which does not make a functional Ig H chain, is not recognized. The VH epitope recognized by clone 40-2 could be mapped to a 10 amino acid peptide spanning MOPC 21 VH residues 49-58. Cross-reactivity for the VH gene product was also demonstrable in some heterogeneous populations of CTL generated in response to influenza virus infection. These results represent the first demonstration of cross-reactivity for an endogenously processed product of a self-Ig by the CTL directed to a foreign antigen and raise the possibility that the Ig VH expression may regulate the CD8+ T cell response to foreign antigens.