ISSN:
1432-1211
Keywords:
Key words MHC class I
;
Cotton-top tamarin
;
Influenza
;
New World Primates
;
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract The products of the highly polymorphic and variable major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I loci play a crucial role in host defenses against infectious disease. While similar alleles have been found in closely related species, sharing of a functional MHC class I allele between two species has never been reported. Here we show that an identical functional MHC class I molecule is present in two different primate species with an approximate divergence time of 0.7 million years. Lymphocytes from the red-crested tamarin (Saguinus geoffroyi) expressed an MHC class I allele (Sage-G * 01) that was identical in coding sequence to an MHC class I allele (Saoe-G * 08) found in the cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus). Furthermore, influenza virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) generated in the cotton-top tamarin killed lymphocytes expressing the influenza virus nucleoprotein (NP) from the red-crested tamarin. Since the influenza virus NP epitope is bound by Saoe-G*08 in the cotton-top tamarin, it is likely that this molecule is functional in both species. These data provide the first evidence that functional MHC class I molecules can be maintained entirely intact in two separate species.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s002510050349
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