Serological analysis of H-2 mutations using monoclonal antibodies

Nine H-2Kb and H-2Db mutants were examined for serological differences from the wild type C57BL/6 using a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Several differences (between the Kb mutants) were established with these mAbs. The bm3 and bm11 mutants could be distinguished serologically even though they have very similar amino acid changes. Conversely, the bm 1 and bm 10 mice, which differ in their sites of Kb mutation, express a common serological mutation, suggesting that tertiary conformation is involved in antibody binding. Both bm13 and bm14 (H-2Db mutants) exhibited profound serological alterations in H-2Db molecules when tested with mAbs that bind determinants mapping to both the NC1 and C2M domains of the Db molecule. In addition, bm13 showed altered binding of two anti-H-2Kb monoclonals.