Analysis of DR-like molecules on a marmoset Epstein-Barr virus-induced cell line using a monomorphic anti-human HLA-DR monoclonal antibody.

Mouse anti-HLA D region-related (DR) monoclonal antibodies have been found to cross-react with peripheral blood leukocytes from one primate species, the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Immunoprecipitates of radioactively labeled cells extracted from a marmoset Epstein-Barr virus-induced cell line were analyzed by one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and compared with the DR antigens of a human lymphoblastoid B cell line. Two chains of estimated molecular weights of 34 000 (alpha) and 28 000 (beta), similar to the human alpha and beta chains, have been observed in marmoset immunoprecipitates. Additionally, a set of spots located in the same area as the set of invariant spots found in human HLA-DR antigens is shown by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Thus, cross-reacting anti-human HLA-DR monoclonal antibodies could be used to analyze the expression and the structure of marmoset DR-like antigens.