[In vivo activity of cytotoxic lymphocytes directed against the product of gene H-2Kb and its mutant alleles].

Experiments were carried out on C57BL/6 (B6) (H-2b) mice and their derived mutants on H-2Kb gene: H-2Kbm1, H-2Kbm3 and H-2Kbm4. It was shown that tolerance of H-2Kbm1 mutant to H-2kb antigen diminishes the strength of rejection of skin grafts of H-2Kbm3 mutant donor. The H-2Kbm3 mutant tolerant to H-2Kbm1 antigen also showed weak rejection of maternal B6 recipient to H-2Kbm4 skin grafts. The tolerance induction of B6 recipients to H-2Kbm3 mutant antigen had no influence on the rejection of H-2Kbm1 skin grafts. The results are discussed from the standpoint of heterogenous clones of the cytotoxic lymphocytes reacting against H-2K molecules in the course of graft rejection.