Expression of HLA class I molecules assembled with structural variants of human beta2-microglobulin.

Mouse and human beta2-microglobulin (beta2m), which differ by 30% in their primary sequence, give rise to disparate levels of HLA class I heavy chain expression in transfectants of the beta2m-null FO-1 human melanoma cell line, i.e., mouse beta2m directs expression of HLA class I heavy chains that is only approximately 20%-30% of that observed for heavy chains assembled with human beta2m. In this report we describe our efforts to better understand the structural basis of this regulatory phenomenon. Initial insight into the importance of the N-terminus of beta2m on HLA expression came from studies with FO-1 cells transfected with chimeric (human X mouse) B2m genes. Chimeric beta2m molecules containing residues 1-69 from human beta2m and residues 70-99 from mouse beta2m (designated HM- beta2m) induced expression of HLA heavy chains to a significantly greater extent ( approximately 80% of level observed with cognate beta2m) than the reverse chimeric construct (designated MH- beta2m) (10%-15% of level observed with cognate beta2m). These data are consistent with the view that the major determinants of HLA class I heavy chain expression map to the portion of the beta2m molecule which forms the four-stranded beta-pleated sheet, comprised of S1, S2, S4, and S5, and one strand of the three-stranded sheet (S3). The mapping of class I regulatory sites to the portion of beta2m containing the four-stranded beta-pleated sheet supports the interpretation that the heavy chain contact residues on beta2m play the major role in regulating major histocompatibility (MHC) class I expression. To further dissect beta2m-mediated regulation of HLA class I expression, site-directed mutants of beta2m were prepared by conversion of human beta2m to the mouse sequence at individual amino acid positions within the four-stranded and three-stranded beta-pleated sheets. Human to mouse amino acid substitutions were made in each divergent residue between positions 1-66, and as controls for COOH-terminal modification, several residues between positions 75 and 94. Cytofluorometry with HLA class I-specific antibodies indicated that cell surface expression of HLA class I heavy chains was largely insensitive to each of the individual substitutions. It is concluded that a combination of divergent residues mapping to positions of heavy chain contact are responsible for the differences observed in MHC class I expression by heterologous forms of beta2m.

Mutants of human beta2-microglobulin map an immunodominant epitope within the three-stranded beta-pleated sheet.

Genetically engineered structural variants of human beta2-microglobulin (beta2m) were produced by sequence exchange with mouse beta2m for the purpose of examining species-specific antigenic determinant expression. For aggregate mapping, mouse and human beta2m, which differ by 30% in their primary sequence of 99 amino acids, were prepared as chimeric (human X mouse) molecules and expressed in the FO-1 beta2m-null human melanoma cell line. A chimera containing residues 1-69 from human beta2m (and residues 70-99 from mouse beta2m) induced expression of the epitopes defined by the anti-beta2m monoclonal antibodies (mAb) BBM.1, NAMB-1, and L368; the reverse chimera did not, although HLA class I heavy chain was evident on the cell surface as determined with the TP25.99 mAb. For fine dissection of the epitopes defined by these mAbs, site-directed mutants of beta2m were prepared by replacement of individual amino acids in human beta2m with the dimorphic residue from mouse beta2m. Substitutions were made at each divergent residue between positions 1 and 66 and, as controls for COOH-terminal modification, a series of residues between positions 75 and 94. Replacement of amino acids 38, 44, and 45, but not 16 other dimorphic residues in the linear stretch from residue 1 to residue 66, resulted in the loss of, or gross reduction in, binding by mAbs BBM.1 and NAMB-1. A reduction in binding was also observed for mAb L368. These data provide strong evidence that the antigenic epitopes defined by these mAb map to a region including S3 and its adjacent intra-beta-strand turn of the three-stranded beta-pleated sheet of beta2m. The mapping of these epitopes is consistent with their accessibility in the assembled major histocompatibility complex class I molecule and indicates that the region from amino acid 38 to 45 is an important structural feature in the "foreignness" of human and mouse beta2m.

MHC class I heavy chain-dependent expression of discontinuous antigenic epitopes on beta 2-microglobulinb is inducible with peptide-ligand.

Previously, we reported that expression of the murine beta 2-microglobulinb (beta 2mb) antigenic epitopes defined by the mAb S19.8 and 23 (SJL [beta 2ma] anti-B10.S beta 2mb]) was dependent upon association of beta 2m with MHC class I heavy chains. We have further explored the antigenic properties of beta 2m under circumstances requiring the induction of MHC class I surface expression with heavy chain-specific peptide-ligand. For the RMA-S cell line, which is class I surface null due to a defect in the TAP-2 peptide transporter, treatment with the H-2Kb-specific vesicular stomatitis virus-derived N p52-59 peptide resulted in the cell surface expression of the epitopes defined by the anti-H-2Kb mAb Y-3, as well as equally strong expression of the epitopes defined by the anti-beta 2mb mAb S19.8 and 23. Similarly, the FLU-NP p366-374 peptide induced H-2Db on the surface of RMA-S cells as determined by cytofluorometry with the mAb MKQ8; however, expression of the epitope defined by S19.8 was only partially recovered and no reactivity was observed for mAb 23. That the H-2Db heavy chain was assembled with beta 2mb on the cell surface was established from immunoprecipitation experiments with 125I-surface-radiolabeled RMA-S cells treated with FLU-NP p366-374; MKQ8 immunoprecipitated prominent heavy chain and beta 2m bands, whereas S19.8 and 23 isolated a weak beta 2m band (12-15% of that co-immunoprecipitated with MKQ8). These results are consistent with the observation that human beta 2m-deficient cells (designated FO-1) transfected with the B2mb allele were induced, in combination with the endogenous HLA class I heavy chains, to express the epitope defined by S19.8, but not mAb 23, whereas both were expressed when contransfection was performed with the H-2Kb gene. That the determinants recognized by S19.8 and 23 were formed by a discontinuous cluster of amino acids within beta 2m was established from experiments demonstrating that H-2Kb heavy chain assembled with a chimeric beta 2m molecule (comprising human beta 2m from 1-69 and mouse beta 2m from amino acid 70-99, including the polymorphic residue Ala 85) did not lead to expression of the S19.8 and 23 epitopes. The results of this study provide evidence that heavy chain polymorphism can affect the antigenic properties of beta 2m and offer insight into the basis by which CTL may react against beta 2mb when assembled with the H-2Kb molecule.

Replication of human cytomegalovirus in cells deficient in beta 2-microglobulin gene expression.

To study the roles of beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-m) and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I expression in human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection, the ability of HCMV strain AD-169 to infect and replicate in a human melanoma cell line (FO-1), which is beta 2-m-deficient and cannot express MHC class I on its cell surface, was examined. Susceptibility of FO-1 cells was compared with human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF) and FO-1H cells (FO-1 cells that have been transfected with the human beta 2-m gene, restoring MHC I expression on the cell surface). As judged by the HCMV immediate early 1 (IE-1) antigen expression, HCMV was able to infect FO-1 cells, although somewhat less efficiently than HFF. However, the expression of HCMV late (L) antigen and the production of virus was significantly less for FO-1 cells than for HFF. Analysis of the FO-1H transfectants revealed that expression of IE-1 and L HCMV antigens was comparable to FO-1 cells, which lack MHC I. Treatment of FO-1 and FO-1H cells with sodium butyrate prior to inoculation did not alter the expression of MHC I in either cell type, but did increase susceptibility of both cell types to HCMV infection, as well as the expression of L antigens and production of virus. These studies indicate that HCMV infection of FO-1 cells is independent of beta 2-m and MHC class I expression.