The CD4 and CD8 molecules are transmembrane glycoproteins expressed by functionally distinct subsets of mature T cells. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells recognize antigens on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-bearing and class I-bearing target cells respectively. The ability of monoclonal antibodies against CD4 and CD8 to block antigen recognition by T cells, as well as cell-cell adhesion assays, indicate that CD4 and CD8 bind to nonpolymorphic determinants of class II or class I MHC. Here we demonstrate that soluble recombinant HLA-DR4 molecules from insect cells and HLA-DR-derived peptides bind to immobilized recombinant soluble CD4. CD4 binds recombinant soluble DR4 heterodimers, as well as the soluble DR4-beta chain alone. Furthermore, two out of twelve DR4-beta peptides could interact specifically with CD4. These findings show that CD4 interacts with a region of MHC class II molecules analogous to a previously identified loop in class I MHC proteins that binds CD8 (refs 8, 9).

HLA-DR4Dw4 molecules were expressed in insect Sf9 cells. The transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of the DR4 alpha- and beta-chains were replaced by the carboxy terminal sequence of decay accelerating factor, leading to a phosphatidyl inositol glycan membrane anchor. This structure contains a cleavage site for phosphatidyl inositol-specific phospholipase C, allowing efficient solubilization of the rDR4 molecules. We present evidence that infected insect cells express properly associated surface heterodimers and are able to present antigenic peptides to DR4Dw4-restricted T cell clones. Phosphatidyl inositol-specific phospholipase-cleaved recombinant molecules exhibited in vitro binding characteristics similar to DR4 molecules purified from lymphoblastoid cells. In terms of peptide specificity, pH optimum, kinetics, and affinity they were indistinguishable within the limits of our assay system. However, the peptide binding capacity of the recombinant molecules was higher than that of native DR4 molecules.