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R DeMars

Publications and source records attributed to R DeMars.

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A minimum of four human class II alpha-chain genes are encoded in the HLA region of chromosome 6.

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in man, also called the HLA region, is located on the short arm of chromosome 6 and encodes antigens involved in immunological processes. The class II HLA antigens consist of two noncovalently associated polypeptide chains, one of molecular weight 34,000 (alpha) and the other of molecular weight 29,000 (beta). The extensive polymorphism of the beta chain(s) has allowed the genetic mapping of the corresponding beta gene(s) to the HLA-DR region. cDNA clones for the HLA-DR alpha chain have been used to map the non-polymorphic DR alpha-chain gene to chromosome 6 using mouse-human somatic cell hybrids. Similarly, the DR alpha-chain gene has been mapped to the short arm of chromosome 6 centromeric to the HLA-A, -B and -C loci by in situ hybridization experiments. We isolated a cDNA clone that is related to the DR alpha chain and encodes the class II antigen DC alpha chain. We describe here how this DC alpha clone was used to find two or three additional alpha-chain genes by cross-hybridization and how HLA-antigen loss mutants of a human lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) were used to ascertain that these additional class II antigen alpha-chain genes are also located in the HLA region.

Base Sequence↗

Detection of a novel human class II HLA antigen.

Genetic, molecular and cellular analyses of the HLA-D region of the major histocompatability complex (MHC) in man have led to the definition of three different products. Two of these, DR and MB (the latter also known as DC (ref. 1) and LB-E (ref. 2)) are defined with serological reagents; the third, known as SB (ref. 3) and PL-3 (ref. 4) is defined with primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) cells. The classical features attributed to HLA-D region encoded (class II) molecules are that they are cell-surface dimers consisting of a structurally conserved alpha-chain noncovalently associated with a polymorphic beta-chain and that they are found primarily on B lymphocytes, some monocyte populations, endothelial and certain other cells. Using these criteria a monoclonal antibody, B7/21, was described as reactive with HLA-DR (ref. 7). We have now re-evaluated B7/21 antibody reactivity using mutant lymphoblastoid cell lines. It appears that this antibody does not react with the molecularly defined D region products described to date but instead, recognizes a class II antigen with distinctive molecular characteristics. We provisionally refer to this antigen as FA.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

A gene in the human major histocompatibility complex class II region controlling the class I antigen presentation pathway.

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules export peptides to the cell surface for surveillance by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Intracellular peptide binding is critical for the proper assembly and transport of class I molecules. This mechanism is impaired as a result of a non-functional peptide supply factor gene (PSF) in several human mutant cell lines with genomic lesions in the MHC. We have now identified PSF in the MHC class II region by deletion mapping in mutants and chromosome-walking. PSF is homologous to mammalian and bacterial ATP-dependent transport proteins, suggesting that it operates in the intracellular transport of peptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗