Comparison of Antigens in the Rat MHC That Act as CML Determinants

Abstract

We have examined a variety of RT1 haplotypes using congenic strains of rats to investigate the comparative relationships among MHC antigens that have been reported to serve as cell-mediated lympholysis (CML) targets. These studies demonstrate that: (1) RT1.A antigens can act as CML determinants, and in some haplotypes they display identical serological and CML reaction patterns; (2) in some donor-recipient strain combinations RT1.A antigens may act as immunodominant determinants, preventing the generation of effectors capable of recognizing other antigens, and (3) a portion of the antigenic determinants that define the anti-CT CML response can be mapped to the same region of the rat MHC as the RT1.E locus.

Structure and Function of the Major Histocopatibility Complex of the Rat

“…The graft-versus-host reaction is also directed against class I1 antigens (Cramer et al, 1977a). By contrast, the major stimulus for cell-mediated lymphoiysis is provided by the products of the class I loci RTZA and RT1.E (Liebert et al, 1982(Liebert et al, , 1983. The stimulation of CML has also been ascribed to antigens encoded by the CT locus (Sieck & Wilson, 1981) and by the Ag-L locus (Lynch & Dewitt, 1980), but a major portion of these activities is probably directed against the class I loci (Crarner et al, 1983).…”