Expression and function of mixed isotype MHC class II molecules in normal mice.

Mixed isotype MHC class II molecules (E alpha dA beta d) occur at extremely low levels on the surface of normal mouse B cells and macrophages, as determined by surface staining with an E alpha dA beta d-specific hamster mAb, H71-258.41. The surface levels of mixed isotype on the B cell lymphoma line A20 are approximately 1 to 2% that of surface I-A, whereas the levels of these molecules on normal mouse B cells were estimated to be at least two to four times less than those on A20. Nevertheless, other investigators have recently reported that immunization of normal H-2d mice with the sperm whale myoglobin peptide 110-121 (SWM(110-121)) elicits T cells, predominantly, V beta 8.2+, that recognize the peptide only in context of E alpha A beta. We have characterized a large number of SWM(110-121)-specific T cell hybridomas from several strains of H-2d haplotype mice. All of the V beta 8.2+ 110-121-specific hybridomas were found to be restricted by E alpha dA beta d, whereas, of the V beta 8.2- 110-121-specific group, approximately half recognized the peptide through E alpha dA beta d whereas the remainder were restricted by either I-Ad or I-Ed. mAb inhibition experiments revealed that 14-4-4S (E alpha-specific) could block presentation by mixed isotype completely, while MK-D6 (A beta d-specific) and H71-258.41 (E alpha dA beta d-specific) only inhibited presentation when the concentration of peptide was limiting. Although A20 expresses very low levels of mixed isotype, 10 to 100 nmol of the peptide produced a detectable response, illustrating the remarkable efficiency in presenting this peptide through E alpha dA beta d. The ability of normal mouse APC to use this restriction element despite its extremely low expression has important implications for the activation of T cells by low levels of peptide-MHC complexes.