DR alpha beta dimers released from complexes with invariant chain fail to stimulate alloreactive T cell clones

To demonstrate that DR alpha beta dimers still complexed to invariant chain (Ii) have not yet acquired peptides recognized by alloreactive T cells, complexes between DR molecules and Ii isolated from Epstein-Barr-virus (EBV)-transformed B cells were analyzed by affinity chromatography and gel filtration. First, it was shown that DR/Ii complexes inserted into artificial planar membranes (PM) failed to stimulate proliferative response of five alloreactive T cell clones and a polyclonal alloreactive T cell line, while PM bearing mature DR alpha beta dimers from the same EBV-B cells were stimulatory for the T cell clones and the T cell line. These findings indicate that either Ii inhibits binding of peptides to DR molecules or Ii hinders T cells recognition of peptide/DR complexes. Second, to discriminate between these two possibilities, DR alpha beta dimers, which were artificially released from complexes between DR molecules and Ii, were inserted into PM. These DR alpha beta dimers were devoid of alloreactive stimulatory capacity while fully capable of binding and presenting a tetanus toxin synthetic peptide to a specific T cell clone, indicating that DR molecules released from complexes with Ii are empty. This study, by showing that DR molecules bound to Ii do not bear peptides recognized by alloreactive T cells, supports the notion that association of Ii with class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules prevents premature peptide loading and hence favors encounter with peptides derived from proteins of the extracellular compartment. Since allogeneic class II MHC molecules released from complexes with Ii were not stimulatory for five out of five alloreactive T cell clones and a polyclonal alloreactive T cell line, these data also indicate that, in most cases, alloreactive T cells recognize ligands constituted by complexes between allogeneic class II MHC molecules and specific peptides which derive from the antigen-presenting cells themselves or serum proteins.