Involvement of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen in Epstein-Barr virus-mediated B cell proliferation

Five MHC class II monoclonal antibodies costimulated proliferation of cord blood leukocytes with Epstein-Barr virus. These agonistic antibodies were of different isotypes, but all of them were either specific for or cross-reacting with HLA-DR. The other MHC class II antibodies, including three that were specific for HLA-DQ and one that was specific for HLA-DP and also those that were specific for MHC class I or leukocyte common antigen, were not costimulatory. The agonistic effect of different MHC class II antibodies was additive, such that costimulation by different antibodies combined significantly exceeded that achieved by either of these antibodies alone. Spent culture media of B cell lines also costimulated B cell proliferation with the virus. Although MHC class II antibodies augmented the effects of suboptimal concentration of the conditioned media, their combined effects did not exceed the maximum costimulation achieved by either the antibodies or the spent culture media alone. These results raised the possibility that MHC class II antigen may contain distinct functional domains involved in the regulation of B cell progression.