Cytolytic T cells recognize a chimeric MHC class I antigen expressed in influenza A infected transgenic mice.

A chimeric H-2Kd/Kk gene, called pC31, contains the extracellular alpha 1 domain of Kd origin whereas the rest of the molecule is of Kk origin. Disruption of the syngeneic alpha 1-alpha 2 structure results in a total abrogation of the function of the C31 protein as a restriction element for H-2Kd and Kk restricted T cells during virus infection. In an attempt to obtain information on the functional polymorphism of MHC class I antigens as restriction elements, we have introduced the pC31 gene into the germ line of C3H/He mice (H-2k). The pC31 gene was transcribed in all tissues examined and the expression pattern paralleled the endogenous H-2Kk gene. However, the mRNA for the transgene was approximately 10-times more abundant, which was reflected in an elevated expression of the C31 protein in transgenic splenocytes. Most of the C31 antigen was found intracellularly. The C31 antigen could condition transgenic cytotoxic T lymphocytes in a specific manner during influenza A virus infection and functioned as the restricting element during T cell lysis of the infected cells. These results suggest that entire exons may be exchanged between MHC class I genes and that this exchange can generate novel and functional restriction elements.