CYTOTOXIC T LYMPHOCYTE RECOGNITION OF HYBRID MHC CLASS I MOLECULES

We have utilized a group of MHC class I genes produced by in vitro recombination between D^p and D^d to study recognition of MHC class I molecules by cytolytic T cells (CTLs). Both polyclonal allo‐specific and H‐2‐restricted CTLs require that α1 and a² of the target class I molecule be derived from the same haplotype for efficient killing. By using T‐cell lines we showed that within the bulk population there must exist a fraction of T cells which can recognize epitopes in al or α2. Critical residues for T‐cell recognition have been identified using these chimeric genes.