Studies on the Major Histocompatibility Complex of the Mouse and Rat

Author: Frelinger, John Gregory

Year: 1980

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Hood, Leroy E.

Committee Members: Hood, Leroy E.; Brockes, Jeremy P.; Lewis, Edward B.; Mitchell, Herschel K.; Owen, Ray David

Option: Biochemistry

DOI: 10.7907/d8rx-2d85

Abstract

This thesis contains investigations into the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) of two closely related species, rats and mice. In particular, I have concentrated on molecules encoded in one part of the MHC, the I region in mice, and its equivalent in rats. The first part of the thesis consists of experiments dealing with the expression of molecules encoded by genes in the I region, the Ia molecules. Ia molecules are expressed on immune related cells and surprisingly on epidermal cells.

Several conclusions can be drawn from my studies on these epidermal Ia molecules. The Ia molecules isolated from radiolabeled detergent solubilized epidermal cell extracts are not contributed by contaminating lymphocytes. The Ia molecules from epidermal cell extracts are identical to their counterparts isolated from spleen cells by both sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and high pressure liquid chromatography tryptic peptide map analyses. The Ia molecules are synthesized by a non-T and non-B cell bone-marrow-derived cell. This cell is probably the macrophage-like Langerhans cell. This work supports the theory that Ia molecules are involved in the immune response and are present only on immune related cells.

The second part of this thesis deals with the Class II (Ia-like) molecules encoded by the rat equivalent of the I region. Two Class II molecules can be immunoprecipitated using cross-reactive mouse anti-la sera. These reagents will be extremely useful in the further elucidation of the rat MHC.

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