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The immunogenomics of minor histocompatibility antigens
Author(s) -
Roopenian Derry,
Choi Eun Young,
Brown Aaron
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
immunological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.839
H-Index - 223
eISSN - 1600-065X
pISSN - 0105-2896
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-065x.2002.19007.x
Subject(s) - minor histocompatibility antigen , immunodominance , biology , antigen , major histocompatibility complex , epitope , immunology , histocompatibility , cd8 , immune system , transplantation , genetics , human leukocyte antigen , medicine , surgery
Summary: Minor histocompatibility (H) antigens are a diverse assemblage of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)‐bound peptides with the unifying property of acting as alloantigens that induce allogeneic tissue rejection. They are a consequence of any form of accumulated genetic variation that translates to differential MHC‐presented peptide epitopes, the most common form of which is simple sequence polymorphisms. The universe of potential minor H antigens is large when transplantation is performed between genetically unrelated, MHC‐matched individuals, especially considering the remarkable discriminative sensitivity of T cells. However, the phenomenon of immunodominance greatly simplifies immune responses that ensue. One mouse minor H antigen, H60, stands out in that the preponderance of the CD8 T cell response elicited in a complex alloantigenic setting is directed against this single minor H antigen epitope. Its immunodominance is because mice lacking H60 develop an unusually robust T cell repertoire dedicated to this single minor H antigen. The now well‐characterized mouse minor H antigen system should provide a vehicle to assess the degree to which immunodominant alloantigens contribute to transplant rejection.