Division of Retrovirology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Health Protection Agency, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 3QG, UK.
Immunogenetics. 2011 Oct;63(10):619-26. doi: 10.1007/s00251-011-0546-4. Epub 2011 Jun 17.
The infection of red-bellied tamarins (Saguinus labiatus) with GB virus B (GBV-B) is an important surrogate model of hepatitis C virus infection in man. To fully exploit the value of this model, we have characterised MHC class I G and class II DRB alleles in eight tamarins representing a cross-section of a UK breeding colony. The results indicated a high degree of classes I and II DRB allele sharing. Each animal transcribed three to four putative surface-expressed class I alleles and two to four class II DRB alleles. Most animals also transcribed at least one class I allele predicted to result in a C-terminal truncated protein. These results represent the first description of MHC polymorphism in this species and provide a foundation for characterisation of MHC diversity in breeding populations of red-bellied tamarins. The data will facilitate the identification of associations between MHC polymorphism and control of viral infections, and detailed dissection of cellular immune responses against GBV-B.
食蟹猴（Saguinus labiatus）感染庚型肝炎病毒 B（GBV-B）是研究人类丙型肝炎病毒感染的重要替代模型。为了充分利用该模型的价值，我们对英国繁殖种群中 8 只食蟹猴的 MHC I 类 G 和 II 类 DRB 等位基因进行了特征描述。结果表明，I 类和 II 类 DRB 等位基因的共享程度很高。每个动物转录了三到四个潜在的表面表达的 I 类等位基因和两个到四个 II 类 DRB 等位基因。大多数动物还转录了至少一个预测导致 C 末端截断蛋白的 I 类等位基因。这些结果代表了该物种 MHC 多态性的首次描述，并为食蟹猴繁殖种群的 MHC 多样性特征描述提供了基础。该数据将有助于鉴定 MHC 多态性与病毒感染控制之间的关联，并对针对 GBV-B 的细胞免疫反应进行详细剖析。
