Chemical and Immunological Characterization of HL-A-linked B-lymphocyte Alloantigens

Abstract

HL-A-linked B-lymphocyte alloantigens are a highly polymorphic system of alloantigens. They are expressed on the surface of B lymphocytes and are encoded by genetic loci in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of humans, HL-A (Winchester et al. 1975; Mann et al. 1975a,b; Legrand and Dausset 1975; Barnstable et al., this volume; van Rood et al., this volume). One of these loci is either identical to or in very strong linkage disequilibrium with the HL-A D locus, the strongest genetic locus causing mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) stimulation in man (van Rood et al., this volume). The HL-A-linked B-cell alloantigens are distinct serologically (and chemically, as will be shown below) from the earlier-discovered HL-A A,B antigens. The HL-A A,B antigens are also distinguished by their much wider tissue distribution and by their presence on T as well as B lymphocytes.