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Major Histocompatibility Complex Proteins

Class I and class II MHC proteins (also referred to as MHC molecules) are critical to the function of the immune system. They perform the task of presenting peptide antigens of proteins from within the cell, such as those garnered from viruses, to T-Cell receptors. Human chromosome six, of which every human has two (one from each parent), contains three genes for the encoding of Class I MHC proteins – HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-C. There are many forms of these polymorphic proteins, which facilitate extreme variety in binding motifs, allowing a wide range of peptides with different amino acid variants be presented as antigens. Class II MHC proteins, encoded in the region of the chromosome for HLA-D, differ from Class I molecules in their presentation of peptides in the binding groove by allowing access to the ends of the peptide. Class I MHC molecules present to killer T Cells, whereas Class II MHC molecules present to helper T Cells, and are found only on immune system cells.

Web Resources On Major Histocompatibility Complex Proteins

PLoS Medicine: Marked Differences in Human Melanoma Antigen-Specific T Cell Responsiveness after Vaccination Using a Functional Microarray
PLoS Pathogens: Using the TAP Component of the Antigen-Processing Machinery as a Molecular Adjuvant
PLoS Pathogens: Inhibition of MHC Class I Is a Virulence Factor in Herpes Simplex Virus Infection of Mice

Book Resources On Major Histocompatibility Complex Proteins

How the Immune System Works by Lauren Sompayrac

Editor(s): Long, B.

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