Functional dissection of the serological DR LYGUE and genotypic DRB1*1303 specificities using a tetanus toxin-specific T-cell clone.

The DRB1 sequence of the homozygous cell line HAG (DR13-DwHAG-DQ7) represents a new DRB allele assigned DRB11103, whereas its DRB3 sequence corresponds to the previously described DRB30101 (DR52a) allele. The DRB11303 gene product is undetectable by current sera used in routine serology typing. We report here direct evidence that the MHC molecule encoded by the DRB11303 gene is functional in antigen presentation and in T-cell restriction. We describe a T-cell clone specific for tetanus toxin whose restriction pattern strictly follows the DRB11303 allele, as defined by oligonucleotide typing. It also follows the serologic reactivity with the serum LYGUE and also the DwHAG MLC-defined specificity pattern, with one exception. The potential functional sites for the DRB11303 gene product involved in T-cell restriction were deduced from sequence comparisons between DRB11303 and closely related DRB1 alleles. The relevant as substitutions were located within close proximity to each other on the HLA class II structural model. Our results demonstrate that 1) DRB11303 is functional in antigen presentation and T-cell restriction 2) the functional region involved in antigen presentation and T-cell restriction by DRB1*1303 can be defined structurally.