Allospecific and virus-specific cytolytic T lymphocytes are restricted to the N or C1 domain of H-2 antigens expressed on L cells after DNA-mediated gene transfer.

Abstract

To identify the site(s) on major histocompatibility molecules recognized by cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL), the recognition of H-2 antigens expressed when cloned genes are introduced into mouse L cells by DNA-mediated gene transer has come under investigation. Recently, recombinant H-2 genes were constructed in vitro from restriction endonuclease fragments of cloned H-2Dd and H-2Ld genes which exchange the N and C1 external domains (exon shuffling). These hybird H-2 genes direct the synthesis of hybrid H-2 antigens when introduced into L cells by DNA-mediated gene transfer. These transformed L cells were used as target cells to achieve a more precise localization of the sites recognized by allospecific and virus-specific CTL. CTL systems were chosen that allow allospecific L3 or Dd recognition to be probed. Using this approach essential CTL recognition sites to the N and C1 domains of class I molecules were mapped.