Abstract
The chicken major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are organized into two genetically independent clusters which both possess class I and class IIβ genes: the classical B complex and the Restriction fragment pattern-Y (Rfp-Y) complex. In this study, we have examined the role of Rfp-Y genes in transplantation immunity. For this we used three sublines, B19H1, B19H2 and B19H3, derived from a line fixed for B19. Southern blots, PCR-SSCP assays using primers specific for Rfp-Y genes, and Rfp-Y class I allele-specific sequencing show that the polymorphisms observed in B19H1, B19H2 and B19H3 are due to the presence of three different Rfp-Y haplotypes. The Rfp-Y class I (YF) alleles in these three haplotypes are highly polymorphic, and RT-PCR shows that at least two YF loci are expressed in each subline. The three sublines show Rfp-Y-directed alloreactivity in that Rfp-Y-incompatible skin grafts are rejected within 15 days, a rate intermediate between that seen in B-incompatible rejection (7 days) and that observed for grafts within the sublines (20 days). We conclude that Rfp-Y has an intermediate role in allograft rejection, likely to be attributable to polymorphism at the class I loci within this region.
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References
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Acknowledgements
This article is dedicated to the memory of Pierrick Thoraval (1960–2000). This work was supported by grants from the INRA (“Gènes de résistance aux maladies des animaux”, grant number 0693-28), the National Science Foundation (grant number 9604589), and by the USDA NRICGP (grant number 98-35205-6643). The skin graft experiments described in this manuscript comply with current French law.
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The sequence data reported are available in the GenBank database under the accession numbers AY257165 (YFVw*15), AY257166 (YFVw*16), AY257167 (YFVIw*15), AY257168 (YFVIw*17), AY257169 (YFw*16), and AY257170 (YFw*17)
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Thoraval, P., Afanassieff, M., Bouret, D. et al. Role of nonclassical class I genes of the chicken major histocompatibility complex Rfp-Y locus in transplantation immunity. Immunogenetics 55, 647–651 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-003-0618-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-003-0618-1