The Journal of Immunology, Vol 144, Issue 8 2865-2874, Copyright © 1990 by American Association of Immunologists

ARTICLES

Functional consequences of overexpressed Ia antigens in AK alpha/AK beta transgenic mice

HJ Fehling, W van Ewijk, JL Pasquali, C Waltzinger, M Le Meur, P Gerlinger, C Benoist and D Mathis
Laboratoire de Genetique Moleculaire des Eucaryotes du CNRS-Unite 184 de Biologie Moleculaire et de Genie, Genetique de l-INSERM, Faculte de Medecine 11, Strasbourg, France.

We report the creation and characterization of several transgenic mouse lines that carry genes coding for the Ak alpha or Ak beta MHC class II (or Ia) molecules. In all these lines, the transgenes are expressed at the RNA and protein level with correct tissue and cell type specificity. Crosses between certain of them yield progeny displaying very high surface levels of class II protein--roughly five times the normal amount--allowing us to evaluate the consequences of quantitative variation in Ia molecule density on the organization and function of the immune system. The effects appear rather limited: we detect subtle changes in thymic lymphocyte subpopulations, as well as an enhanced Ag presentation capacity in vitro. Yet, in vivo responses are largely unaffected, and Ia overexpression to such levels does not provoke lymphoproliferation, immunodeficiency, or autoimmunity.

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