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Development of techniques for observing variability at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of fishes could prove an important first step in understanding the genetic bases of disease resistance. In this study, using goldfish (Carassius auratus) as a model system, three approaches to generating antisera to putative MHC molecules and two methods for detecting antibody reactivities were evaluated. Seven full-sib families were produced, and red blood cells (RBCs) of goldfish family members were screened for reactivity with a panel of absorbed antisera. The antisera panel consisted of fish anti-fish, chicken anti-chicken, and chicken anti-fish antisera. The fish anti-fish antisera was produced by injecting RBCs from each parent into its mate, and the chicken anti-fish antisera was produced by injecting parental goldfish RBCs into chickens. The chicken anti-chicken antisera were obtained from a genetics laboratory where MHC-specific antisera had been prepared previously. The pattern of presence or absence of agglutination upon mixing with the respective reagents in this panel of antisera was regarded as the phenotype of the individual tested. Agglutinations observed macroscopically or microscopically were easily scored as positive or negative. Particular phenotypes were observed among individuals both within and between families. The large numbers of phenotypes observed may indicate: (1) the need for additional absorptions in the preparation of antisera, or (2) segregation of additional sets of phenotypic MHC haplotypes in the tetraploid goldfish. The utility of chicken anti-chicken reagents in serotyping of fish was demonstrated. Use of the traditional approach to conducting hemagglutination assays limited the number of assays executed because of the amount of blood required. In order to minimize the sample volumes required, antibody reactivities were evaluated by flow cytometry employing appropriate fluorescein labeled antibodies. Using this approach, scoring of positive and negative results was equivocal, and results did not always agree with those scored by hemagglutination assays. Results of this study strongly suggest that the development of immune allo- and xeno-antisera and use of hemagglutination assays can be used to characterize genetic variability of the MHC of fishes. Understanding of immunogenetic variability in fishes could be used to develop strains resistant to economically important fish pathogens. / Master of Science

My dissertation hypothesis is that bovine trophoblast cells express cell-surface and secreted non-classical major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-Ib) proteins which inhibit NK cells and other leukocytes by binding to inhibitory receptors (e.g., LILRB1, LILRB2, KIR2DL4, and/or CD94/NKG2A). Extremely polymorphic and ubiquitously expressed classical MHC class I (MHC-Ia) proteins, which present foreign antigenic peptides to CD8+ T lymphocytes, are involved in acceptance or rejection of tissue grafts. Non-classical MHC class I (MHC-Ib) glycoproteins, such as Human Leukocyte Antigen-G (HLA-G) and murine Qa-2, are important modulators of the maternal immune system during pregnancy. MHC-Ib proteins are: (a) oligomorphic or monomorphic, (b) expressed in specific tissues under specific condtions, and (c) produced as surface and/or soluble isoforms due to alternative splicing. Third trimester-bovine trophoblast cells express both MHC-Ia and MHC-Ib proteins. The MHC-Ib proteins expressed by trophoblast cells during the third trimester of pregnancy are encoded by four bovine leukocyte antigen (BoLA) loci: BoLA-NC1, BoLA-NC2, BoLA-NC3, and BoLA-NC4. Two MHC-Ia (N*01701 and N*01802) and three MHC-Ib (NC1*00501, NC3*00101 and NC4*00201) proteins showed cell-surface expression in transfection studies performed in murine P815 and human K562 cells. Two additional isoforms, NC1*00401 and NC2*00102, were not detected on the surface of these cells. Nevertheless, both class Ia proteins, N*01701 and N*01802, and five class Ib proteins, NC1*00401, NC1*00501, NC2*00102, NC3*00101, and NC4*00201, were detected in crude cell lysates on Western blots. Precipitation of proteins from culture supernatants showed that cell-surface MHC-Ia (N*01701 and N*01802) and MHC-Ib proteins (NC1*00501, NC3*00101, and NC4*00201) are shed from the surface of these cells into the media. The mechanism of shedding of these proteins is, however, not known. Monoclonal antibodies W6/32, IL-A88, H1A, H6A, H11A, H58A, and PT-85A recognized surface MHC-I isoforms with varying affinity. We were able to develop a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using either H1A or IL-A88 antibody as the capture antibody and the W6/32 antibody for detection. We produced monoclonal antibodies against cattle NC1*00501 and NC3*00101 proteins. One monoclonal antibody generated against BoLA-NC3*00101 was highly specific. Unfortunately, due to failure to clone the NC3*00101- hybridoma, we no longer have an infinite source of this monoclonal antibody for NC3*00101. We eluted peptides from NC3*00101-transfected MHC-null K562 cells and identified peptides using liquid chromatography-mass spectrum (LC-MS) analysis. Analysis of peptide binding data using the SAS Proc mixed statistical program, suggested that the peptide EVTNQLVVL is a potential peptide ligand, which can be used to make tetramers for enumeration of antigen-specific leukocytes.

The precise regulation of Major Histocompatibility class II (MHC-II) genes plays an important role in the control of the adaptive immune response. MHC-II genes are expressed constitutively in only a few cell types, but their expression can be induced by the inflammatory response cytokine interferon gamma (INF-γ). The regulation of MHC-II is controlled by a Master Regulator, the class II transactivator (CIITA). Multiple studies have shown that CIITA regulated expression of MHC-II is controlled and induced by INF-γ. It has been also shown that a functional CIITA gene is necessary for the expression of MHC-II genes. CIITA is thus a general regulator of both constitutive and inducible MHC-II expression. Although much is known about the transcription factors necessary for CIITA expression, there is little information as to the epigenetic modifications and the requisite enzymes needed to provide these transcription factors access to DNA. Previous studies in the Greer lab have shown that increased levels of acetylation of histones H3 upon INF-γ stimulation, as does tri-methylation of H3K4 upon prolonged cytokine stimulation. Similar observations were made at early time points post IFN-γ stimulation, where there is an instantaneous increase in the levels of H3K18ac and H3K4me3. In contrast to this, the levels of silencing modifications begin to drop with in the first 20 minutes of IFN-γ stimulation. The binding of STAT1 reaches its peak at about 60 minutes and the first transcripts for the protein start to appear as early as 40 minutes post the cytokines stimulation. Our study is the first to link the rapidly occurring epigenetic changes at the CIITA promoter pIV to EZH2

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-102).

As individuals and populations diverge ecologically, they become exposed to new parasites and pathogens with potentially harmful fitness consequences. Populations are therefore expected to evolve resistance, possibly at a cost of less resistance to parasites rarely encountered parasites. This trade-off in resistance should generate local adaptation to parasites in different habitats. In chapter one, I show how local adaptation can potentially evolve in response to variation in parasite exposure among eighteen ecologically variable populations of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Within populations infection appeared to reflect morphology/diet based exposure differences among individuals. Among populations, however, these patterns were absent or reversed, consistent with the evolution of local adaptation. In chapters two and three I set out to test whether variation major histocompatibility (MHC) genes can underly such local adaptation in stickleback. MHC genes are important components of vertebrate immunity; however, there is little direct empirical support for spatially divergent selection driving local adaptation on MHC loci in the wild. In chapter two I tested for the action of parasite mediated balancing and divergent selection on on MHC loci using naturally infected stickleback in three replicate lake-stream pairs. Despite consistent divergence in parasites and MHC alleles, lakes tended to show decreased parasite burdens with increased allelic richness (consistent with balancing selection), while streams showed some support for divergent selection between lake and stream types. In chapter three I use the same lake-stream pairs to investigate how divergent selection could instead be reflected in variation in the effects of individual MHC alleles among populations. When comparing parapatric populations experiencing gene flow, MHC alleles maintained at relatively high frequency in one population were more likely to be associated with reduced, rather than increased, parasite abundances in that population. Allopatric populations experiencing no gene flow showed no such general relationship between allele frequency and resistance. These results are only consistent with spatially divergent selection, and imply that gene flow and environmental heterogeneity can be important for maintaining MHC diversity. / text

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2002. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Immunology) -- University of Colorado Denver, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-156). Free to UCD affiliates. Online version available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations;

Orientador: Alexandre Leite Rodrigues de Oliveira / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-15T19:14:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Emirandetti_Amanda_D.pdf: 10405230 bytes, checksum: 86b2578427126b457b8a4ebeac01a1f5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: Após uma lesão de um nervo periférico, astrócitos e microglia tornam-se reativos, desencadeando a chamada gliose reativa. Adicionalmente, uma porcentagem significativa dos botões sinápticos em íntima relação com os motoneurônios é eliminada, sendo este mecanismo associado à ação de fagocitose das células gliais. Recentemente, a expressão de MHC I (complexo de histocompatibilidade principal classe I) tem sido relacionada com a plasticidade das sinapses e com o processo de regeneração axonal subseqüente à transecção do nervo isquiático, sendo a manipulação da expressão dessa molécula um possível alvo terapêutico. Por sua vez, a óxido nítrico sintase induzível (iNOS), parece estar envolvida com eventos pró- e anti-apoptóticos e com processos de plasticidade das sinapses após lesão do nervo periférico. Embora alguns trabalhos tenham sugerido a participação do MHC classe I nos processos de plasticidade sináptica após a lesão do Sistema Nervoso (SN), as suas funções bem como os mecanismos moleculares que estão envolvidos nesses processos permanecem obscuros. Portanto, os objetivos principais deste trabalho foram identificar a importância relativa de distintas moléculas de MHC classe I clássico (Ia) e não clássico (Ib) na reatividade astroglial e microglial após a axotomia periférica, bem como avaliar o envolvimento da iNOS em tais processos e no grau de eliminação das sinapses. Para tais fins, foram utilizados camundongos knockout para transportador associado com a apresentação de antígeno - 1 (TAP-1), microglobulina-p2 (mp2) genes K e D do MHC I (H2-Kb / Db), iNOS e camundongos controle C57BL/6J. Os animais que foram submetidos à transecção do nervo isquiático foram processados para imunohistoquímica, histoquímica, western blotting e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (estudo in vivo). Camundongos neonatos foram utilizados para o cultivo de astrócitos (estudo in vitro). Os resultados indicam que a ausência de complexo principal de histocompatibilidade I não clássico (MHC Ib) pode influenciar o grau de reação astroglial e microglial uma e três semanas após a axotomia periférica. Ainda, animais deficientes em iNOS apresentaram menor capacidade de expressão de complexo principal de histocompatibilidade I clássico (MHC Ia) por células da microglia uma semana após a lesão. A análise quantitativa da microscopia eletrônica indica maior retração das sinapses em animais knockout para iNOS quando comparados com a linhagem selvagem C57BL/6J. O conjunto dos resultados obtidos sugere que a gliose reativa é influenciada pela expressão de MHC I não clássico e que a iNOS pode participar de mecanismos de apresentação da forma clássica na superfície celular microglial, aumentando assim a retração sináptica e contribuindo para a resposta regenerativa neuronal após a axotomia periférica. / Abstract: Following a peripheral nerve injury, microglial and astrocytic cells become reactive, triggering the so called 'reactive gliosis'. Also, a significant percentage of the synaptic buttons to the motoneurons is eliminated and such process can be associated to the activation of glial cells. Recently, major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) expression has been related to the synaptic plasticity and axonal regeneration process that follows sciatic nerve transection. In this sense, the modulation of MHC I expression can be, in the future, used as a therapeutic approach in several diseases and also after trauma of the nervous system. Similarly to the MHC I, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) can be involved in the synaptic plasticity process after nerve lesion. The objectives of this work were to investigate the relative importance of MHC I expression (classical / Ia and non-classical / Ib MHC I) on the microglial and astroglial reaction after axotomy and to evaluate iNOS involvement in such process and on the degree of synaptic stripping. For this purpose, knockout mice for transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP-1), P2- microglobulin (mp^) , K and D MHC I genes (H2-Kb / Db), iNOS and wild type C57BL/6J strains were subjected to unilateral sciatic nerve transection and specimens were processed for immunohistochemistry, histochemistry, Western blotting and transmission electron microscopy (in vivo study). Astrocytes from newborn mice were also investigated in primary cell cultures (in vitro study). The results indicate that nonclassical class I major histocompatibility (MHC Ib) absence may influence the microglial and astroglial reaction one and three weeks after axotomy. Also, iNOS deficient mice presented milder classical class I major histocompatibility (MHC Ia) expression by microglia one week after lesion than C57BL/6J. Quantitative transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis indicates greater number of synaptic elimination in the iNOS knockout mice as compared to the wild type. Overall, the present results suggest that reactive gliosis is influenced by non-classical MHC Ia expression and iNOS molecules might participate on microglial cell surface presentation of MHC I, therefore contributing to synaptic detachment and the regenerative response after axotomy. / Doutorado / Anatomia / Doutor em Biologia Celular e Estrutural