Serological evidence for H-Y antigen in XO-female mice

H-Y antigen was examined in XX-, XY-, and XO- mice using spleen, kidney, and liver cells of the animals for the absorption of the anti-H-Y antiserum produced in the rat. The cells of the XY- and XO-mice were found to be H-Y antigen-positive while the cells of the XX-mice were negative. As in Turner syndrome patients with 45,X, in the XO-female mice the H-Y antigen titre was reduced as compared to normal XY-male mice; intermediate values between those of normal male and female mice were obtained. These results clearly indicate that as in man, in the mouse the structural gene for H-Y antigen is not Y-linked but is located on an autosome. Furthermore, the concept of the regulation of the H-Y antigen gene expression in the human (Wolf et al. 1980a, b) by an X-linked repressor gene, escaping X-inactivation in the XX-female and an Y-linked inducer gene also seems to hold true in the mouse.