A mutation in a non-MHC murine cell surface antigen detectable by cytotoxic T lymphocytes

During the course of screening new T-H-2 region congenic strains of mice constructed from the C57BL/6 and B6-H-2k strains, a new cell surface polymorphism, designated dtc-1, was identified by cell-mediated lympholysis techniques. The dtc-1 antigen can be found on both Con A- and LPS-stimulated lymphoblasts, peritoneal macrophages, and SV40-transformed mouse embryo fibroblasts. Lysis of dtc-1+ targets by CTL is H-2Dk restricted. All inbred strains tested are dtc-1+, with the exception of the B6-H-2k strain, which is dtc-1-, and several congenic strains directly derived from B6-H-2k. Because B6/Boy and AKR/Boy, the parents of the B6-H-2k strain, are dtc-1+, the dtc-1- phenotype may be the result of mutation in the locus specifying the cell surface molecule that carries this antigen. Segregation analysis of the dtc-1+/dtc-1- polymorphism demonstrated that this locus is not linked to T or H-2. The dtc-1 antigen thus identifies yet another cell surface polymorphism and adds another immunologically defined genetic marker to the murine genome. Furthermore, the dtc-1 system indicates the need for reevaluation and restandardization of congenic strains of mice derived from the B6-H-2k congenic strain.