Genes required for cytotoxicity against virus-infected target cells in K and D regions of H-2 complex

Abstract

EVIDENCE is mounting that in mice, certain specific immunological effector functions of thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes are efficient only when donors of T cells and the cells with which they interact have at least a part of the H-2 gene complex in common1-8. Examples include T helper function in vivo and in vitro1-3, cytotoxicity mediated by T cells against virus-infected4-6 or TNP-modified7 target cells in vitro, immunopathology mediated by T cells4, or protection against bacterial8 and viral infection6 in vivo. This requirement for H-2 compatibility has been studied in detail by measuring the cytotoxicity of T cells from donors immunised with either lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) or ec..