Transfected trophoblast-derived human cells can express a single HLA class I allelic product

The human trophoblast-derived JAR cell line, that does not express polymorphic HLA class I antigens even after IFN induction, can be stably transfected by genomic clones encoding the entire HLA-A2, -A3 and -B7 alpha-chain genes. The transfected genes were expressed at the cell surface in association with endogenous beta 2-microglobulin (shown by FCM analysis) as a single allelic product without reexpression of any endogenous class I gene (shown by 1D.IEF analysis). Furthermore, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, alone and synergistically, increase cell surface expression of transfected MHC class I/endogenous beta 2m heterodimers without induction of endogenous class I alpha-chain genes. These data show that the MHC class I-negative JAR human cell line might be used for transfections with the aim of establishing human cells expressing just one defined MHC class I allele for functional and regulatory studies. These findings are discussed in relation to the methylated status solely of endogenous class I alpha-chain genes in JAR cells and suggest that transfected class I genes are not regulated in the same fashion and, in particular, that constitutive and TNF/IFN inducible trans-acting regulatory factors able to bind to cis-promoter/enhancer sequences of class I DNA are likely to be present.