Two class I genes of the chicken MHC have different functions: BF1 is recognized by NK cells while BF2 is recognized by CTLs

• Published in: Immunogenetics (New York) Vol. 70; no. 9; pp. 599 - 611
• Main Authors: Kim, Taejoong, Hunt, Henry D., Parcells, Mark S., van Santen, Vicky, Ewald, Sandra J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.09.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Allergology; Antigens; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cell Biology; Cell surface; Chickens; Cytotoxicity; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Gene expression; Gene Function; Glycoproteins; Human Genetics; Immune response; Immune system; Immunology; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Lysis; Major histocompatibility complex; Marek's disease; Natural killer cells; Original Article; T cell receptors; Viruses; MHC; NK cells; Chicken; Antigen presentation/processing; Cytotoxic T cells
• ISSN: 0093-7711; 1432-1211
• DOI: 10.1007/s00251-018-1066-2

The function of the chicken’s major histocompatibility complex ( MHC or B complex) class I major (BF2) and minor (BF1) glycoproteins is compared for their expression, ability to present viral antigens to cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), and interaction with natural killer (NK) cells. MHC -restricted CTLs recognized virus antigen in the context of the BF2*21 major glycoprotein but not the BF1*21 minor glycoprotein. Marek’s disease virus (MDV), a large DNA virus known to reduce the cell surface expression of class I glycoprotein, reduced the expression of BF2 glycoprotein while BF1glycoprotein expressions are remained as no change or slight increase. In addition, the expression of BF1*21 class I glycoprotein protected target cells from NK cell lysis while the expression of the BF2*21 class I glycoprotein enhanced NK cell lysis of target cells. Therefore, BF1 and BF2 provide two different cellular immune functions; BF1 negatively regulates the NK cell killing activity and BF2 restricts the antigen specific CTL immune response.