Sitte Karin, Brinkworth Ross, East Iain J, Jazwinska Elizabeth C
Co-operative Research Centre for Vaccine Technology, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, PO Royal Brisbane Hospital, Brisbane, Qld 4029, Australia.
Vet Immunol Immunopathol. 2002 Mar;85(3-4):129-35. doi: 10.1016/s0165-2427(01)00430-5.
Two bovine MHC class II alleles, BoLA-DRB30201 and BoLA-DRB33301, contain a three base pair deletion which results in the deletion of a lysine (K beta 65) in the antigen recognition site (ARS). Modelling of BoLA-DRB30201 with the conserved lysine K beta 65 and BoLA-DRB30201 without K beta 65 indicated that this deletion altered the peptide specificity of the ARS, and may impact on the immune response. To test this hypothesis, the presence of K beta 65 was analysed in a sample of cattle vaccinated with the commercial cattle tick vaccine (TickGARD). Homozygous deletion of K beta 65 was significantly associated with high response to TickGARD (P<0.05). Screening of the TickGARD antigen identified a potential T cell epitope that is recognised better by animals that are homozygous for the K beta 65 deletion. This study provides evidence that changes in the ARS of MHC class II molecules may be associated with the well recognised animal to animal variation in magnitude of vaccine response.
