Polymorphisms within the HLA-DRw6 haplotype. II. Protein charge heterogeneity reflects MLC subtyping of HLA-DRw6 homozygous cells.

We have analyzed the HLA class II gene products from HLA-DRw6 homozygous cells. Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B-cell lines were internally labeled with [35S]-methionine. An NP-40 lysate of the cells was subjected to immunoprecipitation, first with a DRw52-like-specific monoclonal antibody and subsequently with a DR-specific framework antibody. The DR region-encoded gene products were analyzed by one-dimensional gel isoelectric focusing and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. It is shown that DRw6 homozygous cell lines contain at least two nonallelic DR beta chains, one carrying a DRw52 determinant and one DRw52-negative population. Both chains appear to be polymorphic between the cellularly defined subtypes of DRw6. The determinant responsible for the differential mixed lymphocyte culture reactivity of Dw18 and Dw19 cells resides on the DRw52-positive population, whereas the Dw6-Dw9 differences are attributed to determinants on both populations of DR light chains. The Dw16-derived DRw52+ chain much resembles the Dw18 DRw52+ light chain whereas there is a clear-cut difference between these two subtypes in the DRw52- population. We conclude that, for DRw6 homozygous cells, the cellularly recognized D determinants are probably located on DR-encoded molecules, both DRw52+ and DRw52-, and that charge shift of these chains is at least partly responsible for differential recognition of these cells in mixed lymphocyte cultures.