Class II-restricted presentation of a hen egg lysozyme determinant derived from endogenous antigen sequestered in the cytoplasm or endoplasmic reticulum of the antigen presenting cells

Abstract

A cDNA encoding a form of hen egg lysozyme (HEL) lacking a leader sequence and predicted to be localized in the cytoplasm, was transfected into MHC class II-positive B lymphoma cells. Cytoplasmically expressed HEL (cytHEL) had a half-life of less than 5 min and did not react with HEL specific mAb suggesting non-native conformation. Cells expressing cytoplasmic HEL, as well as cells previously reported to express a low level of HEL retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ERHEL), constitutively presented the HEL determinant encoded by residues 46-61 to a sensitive class II-restricted T hybridoma (3A9). Constitutive presentation of HEL determinants was not detectable in cytHEL or ERHEL transfect..