Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R J Milner

Publications and source records attributed to R J Milner.

61 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Identification of murine leukemia viral antigens detected on mouse cells by H-2 alloantisera.

H-2 alloantisera have been previously reported to contain antibodies against murine leukemia viral antigens, but the nature of the viral antigens on mouse cells which interact with these antibodies has not been established. We have found that H-2 alloantisera recognize components of molecular weight 70 000-80 000 mouse lymphocytes and leukemia cells. These components were also detected by a goat antiserum against the murine leukemia virus (MuLV) glycoprotein (gp 70) and are therefore closely related to or identical with that viral protein. Although most H-2 alloantisera detected gp 70-like molecules on lymphocytes and leukemia cells from a great variety of mouse strains, only one H-2 alloantiserum was found to interact with a gp 70 component on cells from C57BL/10 and C57BL/6 mice. Animals such as C57BL/10 mice that lacked the component reacting with most H-2 alloantisera showed increased serum levels of anti-MuLV antibodies after injection of B10.A spleen cells having a gp 70 component detectable by other H-2 alloantisera. In contrast, strains with cells reactive to antiviral antibodies in the H-2 alloantisera had low responses to MuLV antigens after a similar immunization procedure. Serum levels of anti-MuLV antibodies in both groups of mice, however, were increased after injection of Freund's adjuvant. These observations suggest that anti-MuLV antibodies in mouse alloantisera may arise from a response to viral antigens on the immunizing cells and general stimulation of the immune system.

Animals↗

Subunit structure, cell surface orientation, and partial amino-acid sequences of murine histocompatibility antigens.

Detergent and papain solubilized murine histocompatibility (H-2) antigens have been compared by gel exclusion chromatography, ultracentrifugation, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and amino-acid sequence analysis. From these data, we propose a molecular model for the H-2 antigens that includes the size and arrangement of the subunits on the cell surface and in solution, and we provide evidence for the orientation of these molecules on the cell surface. Detergent solubilized H-2 antigens (molecular weight 116,000) consist of two disulfide-linked heavy chains (46,000 daltons) and two monocovalently associated light chains (12,000 daltons). Alkylation with iodoacetamide prior to extraction prevented the formation of a disulfide linkage between the two heavy chains. A water-soluble 51,000-dalton molecule (Fs) consisting of a 39,000-dalton fragment (FH) of the heavy chain and one intact light chain was obtained by papain digestion of cells or detergent extracts. Therefore, the disulfide linkage between the heavy chains is located in the remaining membrane-associated portion (Fm). Amino-acid sequence analysis of the FH fragment of H-2Kb by radiochemical techniques showed that it is identical to the detergent solubilized H-2Kb heavy chain in eight positions for the three amino acids tested. These data indicate that the fragment FH derives from the amino-terminus of the heavy chain and suggest that it projects outward from the cell surface, while the carboxyl-terminal region is associated with the plasma membrane. The described amino-terminal sequence data have been found constant in H-2Kb, H-2Kd, H-2Kk, H-2Db, and H-2Dd gene products. These data support the hypothesis that the K and D products of the major histocompatibility antigen complex have evolved by gene duplication.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identifier sequences are transcribed specifically in brain.

'Identifier' or ID sequences are present in 62% of the RNA polymerase II and III transcripts made in vitro from brain nuclei but in fewer than 4% of the transcripts made from the nuclei of other tissues. An homologous 160-nucleotide cytoplasmic poly(A)+ RNA species, BC1, and a smaller species, BC2, are located in vivo exclusively in neural tissues. Cloned ID sequences are polymerase III templates in vitro. Our data suggest a model in which brain-specific polymerase III transcription of ID sequences located in introns of brain genes activates those genes in a primary manner for polymerase III transcription.

Animals↗