Abstract
In this review the biological significance of the MHC is discussed. The author confines himself to class I and II genes and their products. Class I and II molecules present processed antigens to T cells. This function is operative during the development of a self-tolerant T cell repertoire and during an ongoing immune response. Both MHC class I and II genes are extremely polymorphic. This polymorphism results in inter-individual differences in immune reactivity. Therefore these genes are so-called Immune response (Ir-) genes. The resulting differences in immune reactivity are due to differential binding of processed antigen to the products of these Ir-genes. The MHC polymorphism has been conserved in evolution and there is evidence that selection by infectious disease has been involved in this process. An explanation for this is presented, which amounts to the idea that MHC polymorphism is a very pragmatic answer to the unpredictable challenges of infectious diseases. One of the consequences of this type of life-insurance is that individuals with certain MHC alleles have an increased susceptibility to certain immuno-pathological diseases. These recent developments in immunogenetics may be applied to the development of sub-unit vaccines, have implications for the prevention of T cell mediated immunopathological diseases and may result in genetic manipulation aimed at introducing resistance genes in susceptible animals.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Adorini, L. Muller, S., Cardinaux, F., Lehmann, P.V., Falcioni, F. and Nagy Z.A. 1988. In vivo competition between self peptides and foreign antigens in T-cell activation. Nature, 334, 623 – 625.
Allen, P.M. 1987. Antigen processing at the molecular level. Immunol. Today, 8, 270 – 273.
Allen, P.M., Babbit, B.P. and Unanue, E.R. 1987. T-cell recognition of lysosyme: the biochemical basis of presentation. Immunol. Rev., 98, 171 – 187.
Benacerraf, B. and McDevitt, H.O. 1972. Histocompatibility-linked immune resonse genes. A new class of egnes that controls the formation of specific immune response has been identified. Science, 175, 273 – 279.
Bjorkman, P.J., Saper, M.A., Samraoui, B., Bennett, W.S., Strominger,
J.L. and Wiley, D.C. 1987. Structure of the human class I histocompatibility antigen, HLA-A2. Nature, 329, 506 - 512.
Bjorkman, P.J., Saper, M.A., Samraoui, B., Bennett, W.S., Strominger,
J.L. and Wiley, D.C. 1987. The foreign antigen binding site and T cell recognition regions of class I histocompatibility antigens. Nature, 329, 512 – 518.
Brown, J.H., Jardetzky, T., Saper, M.A., Samraoui, B., Bjorkman, P.J. and Wiley, D.C. 1988. A hypothetical model of the foreign antigen binding site of class II histocompatibility molecules. Nature, 322, 845 – 850.
Buus, S., Sette, A., Colon, S.M., Miles, C. and Grey H.M. 1987. The
relation between Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) restriction and the capacity of la to bind immunogenic peptides. Science, 235, 1353–1358.
De Vries, R.R.P., Meera Khan, P., Bernini, L.F., Van Loghem, E. and Van Rood, J.J. 1979. Genetic control of survival to epidemics? J.Immunogenet., 6, 271 – 287.
De Vries, R.R.P., Schreuder, G.M.Th., Naipal, A, D’Amaro, J. and Van
Rood, J.J. Selection by typhoid and yellow fever epidemics witnessed by the HLA-DR locus. Immunobiology of HLA vol. 2: “Immunogenetics and histocompatibility” (Ed. B. Dupont), Springer Verlag, New York, in press.
De Vries, R.R.P., Ottenhoff, T.H.M. and Van Schooten, W.C.A. HLA and
mycobacterial disease. In “Immunology of Mycobacterial Disease” (Ed. P.J. Lachmann). (Springer Seminars in Immunopathology 10) in press.
Figueroa, F., Günther, E. and Klein, J. 1988. MHC polymorphism pre-dating speciation. Nature, 335, 265 – 267.
Howard, J.C. 1988. How old is a polymorphism? Nature, 332, 588 – 590.
Hughes, A.L. and Nei, M. 1988. Pattern of nucleotide substitution at
major histocompatibility complex class I loci reveals overdominant selection. Nature, 335, 167–170.
Janeway, C.A. 1988. T-cell development. Accessories or coreceptors? Nature, 335, 208 – 210.
Marrack, P. and Kappler J. 1988. The T-cell repertoire for antigen and MHC. Immunol. Today, 9, 308 – 315.
McConnel1, T.J., Talbot W.S., Mclndoe, R.A. and Wakeland, E.K. 1988. The origin of MHC class II gene polymorphism within the genus Mus. Nature, 332, 651 – 654.
Lawlor, D.A., Ward, F.E., Ennis, P.D., Jackson, A.P. and Parham, P. 1988. HLA-A and B polymorphisms predate the divergence of humans and chimpanzees. Nature, 335, 268 – 271.
Parham, P. 1988. Presentation and processing of antigens in Paris. Immunol. Today, 9, 65 – 68.
Schwartz, R.H. 1985. Associations in T-cell activation. Nature, 317, 284 – 285.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1989 ECSC,EAEC,Brussels and Luxembourg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
de Vries, R.R.P. (1989). Biological Significance of the MHC. In: Improving Genetic Disease Resistance in Farm Animals. Current Topics in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, vol 52. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1057-7_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1057-7_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6967-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-1057-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive