The role of the human major histocompatibility complex in cytotoxic T-cell responses to virus-infected cells.

The human major histocompatibility complex (HLA) has been demonstrated to play two roles in the generation and expression of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses to virus-infected cells: (1) cytotoxic T cells can only recognize viral antigens in conjunction with antigens encoded by HLA-A and -B genes; and (2) HLA-linked genes may control the capacity to generate T-cell responses to a given virus or to virus in conjunction with particular self HLA-A and -B antigens. Analysis of T-cell responses generated in vivo to Epstein-Barr virus suggests that human T cells may recognize virus in conjunction with antigens other than the class I HLA polymorphic specificities.