Structure function analysis of in vitro mutated CD4 and major histocompatibility complex class II gene products

Abstract

The Class II major histocompatibility molecules are implicated in the initiation of antigen-driven autoimmune responses by CD4-positive T cells. In order to study the structure and function of CD4 and MHC Class II molecules, strategies were developed with the intent of generating secreted forms of these molecules by in vitro mutagenesis of the respective genes. A full length cDNA encoding an expressible human CD4 molecule was muta-genized to introduce a premature stop codon corresponding to residue 367 located 8 amino acids amino terminal to the start of the predicted transmembrane region. Following DNA-mediated gene transfer of the mutant gene, secreted CD4 was detected in the supernatant o..