[Study of H-2 mutations in mice. VII. The defectiveness of the H-2ba mutant in the hemagglutination and graft vs host reactions].

Three mutants of the H-2K gene within the mouse major histocompatibility complex were studied. Antisera anti-H-2.5 + 39 were unable to agglutinate H-2ba and H-2bf mutant red blood cells. The same sera moderately agglutinated H-2b red blood cells. The H-2ba red blood cells did not absorb in vitro the activity from an anti-H-2.5 serum, while the H-2b cells did. Thus, these results indicate the existence of qualitative SD antigenic differences among H-2Kb derived mutants. In the proliferative graft versus host test the H-2ba spleen cells did not induce spleen enlargement in the H-2bd recipients, while pronounced reaction was recovered in bd-ba combination. The (baXb) F1 hybrid cells were as efficient as b/b homozygous cells. The data suggest that the H-2K gene product may be involved in the antigen recognition process by T cells.