Trans-activation of class II (I-A alpha) gene by I-A beta gene transfection using bovine papilloma virus as a shuttle vector system.

We have engineered a bovine papilloma virus to carry the class II MHC (A beta d) gene. The recombinant plasmid was introduced into various mouse B cell hybridomas by co-transfecting with the neomycin-resistance gene. Several transfectants which received only the beta-chain gene of I-Ad, expressed I-Ad proteins on the cell surface. Their presence was determined by direct immunofluorescence and by Northern blot hybridization as well as RNA dot blot hybridization. These I-Ad molecules could induce IL-2 production in I-Ad restricted T cell hybridomas. When I-Ad molecules are expressed on the cell surface of the transfectants, they become fully active in inducing the I-Ad restricted T cell response. The original B cell hybridomas used for transfection possessed the alpha and beta chain genes of the I-Ad molecule but there are no transcripts of these genes in the cell. We suppose that many copies of the transfected beta-chain gene or its product may also induce production of cellular alpha-chain gene products and thereby induce expression of the I-Ad molecule on the cell surface.