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Die AML stellt mit einem Anteil von 80 % an den akuten Leukämien bei Erwachsenen eine bedeutende Erkrankung für die Gesellschaft dar. Aufgrund fehlender durchbrechender Erfolge in der Therapieentwicklung liegt die durchschnittliche Fünfjahresüberlebensrate dennoch nur bei etwa 25 %. Der Blick auf die Kraft des Graft-versus-Leukämie-Effekts nach allogener Stammzelltransplantation, eine Langzeitremission der AML erzielen zu können, weist jedoch auf die Immunogenität und Eignung der Erkrankung für neue immuntherapeutische Ansätze hin. Anhand der Kartierung der in-vivo präsentierten MHC-Klasse-I-Peptidome auf AML-Blasten sollten in dieser Arbeit potenziell geeignete Therapietargets identifiziert werden, um eine breitere Anwendung immuntherapeutischer Strategien bei AML-Patienten zu ermöglichen. Auf primären Patientenmaterialien, Zelllinien und benignen Zellen wurden hierzu über eine Immunoaffinitätschromatographie mit nachfolgenden Purifizierungsschritten die MHC-präsentierten Peptide massenspekrometrisch-basiert identifiziert. Zusätzlich erfolgte eine Quantifizierung der Oberflächen- und intrazellulären MHC-Klasse-I-Moleküle der verwendeten Proben durch einen indirekten Immunfluoreszenz-Assay. Unter der Gesamtheit von 17.750 identifizierten nicht-redundanten MHC-Klasse- I-präsentierten Peptiden konnte eine Vielzahl von 5.626 Peptiden mit Präsentationsfrequenzen bis zu 72 % als AML-exklusiv beschrieben werden. Hierunter wurden 240 kryptische Peptide vermeintlich nicht-codierenden Ursprungs identifiziert. Zudem wurden mehrere potenziell CMV-kreuzreaktive AML-Peptide erfasst, die zu der reduzierten Rezidivrate bei CMV-Infektion nach allogener Stammzelltransplantation führen könnten. Bei der MHC-Quantifizierung wiesen die AML-Blasten keine verminderte MHC-Expression auf und stellten sich somit als geeignete Target-Zellen für eine T-Zell-Immuntherapie dar. / AML is a disease with huge society impacts since it represents 80 % of all acute leukemia in adults. However, due to the lack of breakthroughs in the development of new therapies, the average five-year survival rate is only around 25%. The Graft-versus-Leukemia-Effect after allogeneic stem cell transplantation, which can achieve long-term remission in AML-patients, provides evidence for the immunogenicity and therefore suitability of the disease for new immunotherapeutic approaches. The aim of this these is to enable a broader application of immunotherapeutic strategies in AML patients by mapping the in-vivo presented peptidomes of the MHC-class-I-pathway. For this purpose, primary patient materials, cell lines and benign cells were analyzed using immunoaffinity chromatography with several subsequential purification steps and mass-spectrometric-based identification. In addition, the surface and intracellular MHC-class-I-molecules of the samples used were quantified by an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Among the total of 17,750 identified non-redundant MHC-class-I-presented peptides, a large number of 5,626 peptides with presentation frequencies of up to 72% could be described as AML-exclusive. Among them, 240 cryptic peptides of supposedly non-coding origin were identified. In addition, several potentially CMV-cross-reactive AML-peptides were identified. Such a cross reactivity could explain the reduced recurrence rate through CMV infection after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The MHC-class-I-quantification of the AML-blasts did not show any reduced MHC-expression and would therefore be suitable target cells for T-cell-immunotherapy.

Introduction: The epigenetic modifications can significantly affect and alter the gene activity by regulating their expression, having direct impact on various processes in human body. Epigenetic processes are involved in ethiopathogenesis of many diseases. From this point of view, MHC genes are very important as they were linked to many autoimmune disorders, for example type 1 diabetes mellitus. In general autoimmune diseases appear to be connected to certain MHC class II genes. Aims: The aim of this thesis is to determine the relationship between expression levels and histone modifications present in the promoter area of MHC class II gene, DQA1. Moreover, we also analyze and compare the DQA1 gene mRNA expression depending on the QAP promoter allele. Methods: We isolated both nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and leukocytes from peripheral blood samples collected from voluntary donors. DNA was utilized for genotypization of individuals. RNA was subjected to reverse transcription and the quantitative PCR was performed in order to determine the level of expression. Leukocytes were used for chromatin immunoprecipitation, which was evaluated using quantitative PCR. Results: The expression level of QAP allele 3.1 was found to be higher than for the rest of the alleles Allele 4.1A showed, on the other hand,...

Realizamos neste trabalho a automatização da nova metodologia MHCalc, desenvolvida anteriormente em nosso laboratório, que teve como resultado o programa homônimo escrito em linguagem C para ambiente GNU/Linux, o qual avalia quantitativamente a seletividade de uma determinada proteína MHC. Esta avaliação quantitativa possibilita o estabelecimento de uma escala de preferência dos resíduos de ocorrência natural para cada uma das posições de interação da fenda de apresentação do MHC; por permutação destes resíduos, podem-se derivar regras de composição para peptídeos reconhecíveis em cada alelo estudado, inclusive na ausência de dados experimentais. A metodologia desenvolvida em nosso laboratório se baseia na avaliação da seletividade de cada bolsão independentemente, através da energia de interação do mesmo com cada aminoácido de ocorrência natural. O programa MHCalc utiliza o pacote de programas THORMM [Moret, 1998] de modelagem molecular para otimização geométrica das estruturas descritas, e tem como entrada unicamente um arquivo de coordenadas em formato POB contendo as coordenadas de um complexo MHC/peptídeo, tendo como saída uma tabela de dados contendo os resíduos de ocorrência natural em ordem de preferência para cada bolsão. Testamos o programa MHCalc para o complexo formado pela molécula HLA-DR1 (DRA DRB1 *01 01) e o peptídeo de Hemaglutinina, obtido no Brookhaven Protein Data Bank com a entrada 10LH, sendo este sistema escolhido por ser altamente estudado e com abundância de dados experimentais e teóricos para comparação de resultados. Até o presente momento obtivemos os dados referentes ao bolsão 1, os quais estão em pleno acordo com a literatura. / In this work we automated the new methodology MHCalc, developed previously in our laboratory, which resulted in the computational program with the same name, written in C language to GNU/Linux environment. The program MHCalc evaluates quantitatively the selectivity of a given MHC protein. This quantitative evaluation allows the establishment of a preference scale of the naturally occurring residues for each pocket of a MHC molecule. From such a study it may be derived composition rules to peptides recognizable in each allele studied, even in the absence of experimental data. The methodology developed in our laboratory is based on the selectivity evaluation of each pocket independently, through its interaction energy with each naturally occurring amino acid. The program MHCalc uses the molecular modeling package THORMM [Moret, 1998] to optimize the geometry of the structures described below, and needs as only entry the PDS like file with the coordinates of the MHC/peptide complex. The program finishes printing out a data file containing the naturally occurring residues in preference order for each pocket and the data used to order these residues. We tested the program MHCalc to the complex molecule HLA-DR1 (DRA DRB1 *01 01) with the Hemaglutinin peptide, obtained at the BrookHaven Prote in Data Bank (1 DLH entry). This system was chosen because it has been highly studied and so offers abundant experimental and theoretical data to compare our results. We obtained data referring to pocket 1 so far, which is in full agreement with the literature.

O sucesso da gestação, e nascimento da prole saudável, depende da adequada formação, desenvolvimento e funcionamento da placenta. Entretanto, são observadas altas perdas durante o primeiro terço da gestação de embriões bovinos produzidos por transferência de núcleo de célula somática (TNCS), principalmente causadas por alterações placentárias, decorrentes da incompleta reprogramação epigenética no desenvolvimento embrionário. Normalmente, após a fecundação, o DNA paterno é desmetilado durante as primeiras horas do desenvolvimento, enquanto o DNA materno é desmetilado de forma passiva. Entretanto nos embriões TNCS a desmetilação do DNA é tardia e incompleta, resultando numa alteração do padrão epigenético, principalmente nos níveis de metilação (5mC) e hidroximetilação (5hmC) do DNA e nas histonas. Além disso, na gestação TNCS há expressão precoce das moléculas do complexo de histocompatibilidade principal de classe I (MHC-I), associada ao aumento de infiltrados inflamatórios na placenta e à rejeição imunológica ao feto. O objetivo desse trabalho foi de verificar, na placenta bovina TNCS e controle, os níveis globais de 5mC e 5hmC, e de algumas modificações de histonas importantes na formação do trofectoderma ou por serem modificações clássicas, além de imunolocalizar moléculas de MHC-I. Para tanto foram utilizadas amostras de placentônio TNCS no primeiro (n = 5) e terceiro (n = 6) terço gestacional; e como controle, placentônios com controle no primeiro (n = 6) e terceiro (n = 6). Foram realizadas reações de imunohistoquímica para modificações no DNA (5mC, 5hmC) e nas histonas (H3K4me3, H3K27me3, H3K9ac, H3K9me2/3) e para MHC-I (Qa-2 e IL-A88); além de reações de PCR quantitativo para enzimas responsáveis pelas modificações no DNA (DNMT1, TET1, TET3), para alguns genes relacionados com o desenvolvimento da placenta (PAG9, PHDLA2, SNRPN e TSSC4) e para isoformas de MHC-I (NC1-4 e JSP-1). Houve aumento dos níveis globais de metilação, e diminuição de hidroximetilação, na placenta TNCS durante o primeiro trimestre gestacional. Os níveis de H3K4me3 foram estáveis na placenta controle e crescentes na placenta TNCS, enquanto que a H3K27me3 decresceu na placenta controle e foi estável na placenta TNCS. Na placenta TNCS, aos 60 dias, foram observados os menores níveis globais H3K9ac, porém H3K9me2/3 não diferiram entre as idades e tipos gestacionais estudados. Foi identificado MHC-I no trofoblasto do placentônio bovino nas idades analisadas, com variações de intensidade dependendo da isoforma detectada, além de que a placenta controle e a TNCS apresentam padrões diferentes na expressão de MHC-I. De modo geral, o menores níveis de metilação do DNA encontrados na placenta TNCS aos 60 dias de gestação, indica ser um mecanismo compensatório para ativar a expressão gênica. Visto que a as modificações de histona levam a um estado repressivo da expressão gênica, já que a bivalência entre H3K4me3 e H3K27me3 e os níveis de H3K9ac estão diminuídos. Ainda na placenta TNCS aos 60 dias, há uma alta expressão de MHC-I, levando a resposta imune do sistema materno contra os tecidos fetais. Portanto vários eventos são presentes e parecem contribuir para instabilidade da gestação inicial em clones, coincidindo com a alta taxa de perdas gestacionais nessa fase / Pregnancy success depends of adequate placental formation, development and function. Therefore, the highest loses rates are found during first trimester pregnancies of bovine embryos produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT), majorly by placental alterations, due to incomplete epigenetic reprogramming during embrionary development. Normally, after fecundation, paternal DNA is actively demethylated at first hours of development; where as maternal DNA is passively demethylated. However in NT embryos the DNA demethylation is late and incomplete, resulting in changes of epigenetic patterns, majorly in methylation (5mC), hydroxymethylation (5hmC) and histone levels. Furthermore, in NT pregnancy there is premature expression of class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC-I), associated with inflammatory infiltrates increases and immunological rejection against fetus. The aim of this work was to evaluate global levels of 5mC, 5hmC and some posttranslational histone modifications and MHC-I molecules expression of bovine placenta in NT and control models. For this, NT and control bovine placentome were collected at first (n = 6) and third (n = 6) trimester of pregnancy. Immunohistochemistry reactions were performed to assay DNA methylation (5mC) and (5hmC) and posttranslational histone modifications (H3K4me3, H3K27me3, H3K9ac, H3K9me2/3) and MHC-I molecules (Qa-2 e IL-A88). Quantitative PCR reactions were performed to evaluate the expression of DNA modifications related enzymes (DNMT1, TET1 and TET2), MHC-I classical (JSP-1) and non-classical (NC1-4) isoforms, and imprinted genes expression (SNRPN, TSSC4 and PHDLA2). In the NT placenta there was an increase in the global methylation and decreased hydromethylation level at first trimester. Levels of H3K4me3 were constant at control placenta while increased in NT placenta. For H3K27me3, the levels decreased in control placenta and were stable at NT counterparts. At 60 days of pregnancy in NT placenta, were observed low levels of global H3K9ac, but no differences of H3K9me2/3 levels were found between pregnancy ages or type. We identified MHC-I at bovine placentomal trophoblast in all ages analyzed, with intensity variation of different isoforms. In general, low levels of DNA methylation at day 60 of pregnancy of TNCS placenta, indicates a compensatory mechanism to active genic expression. Since histone modifications, in this period, leads to repressive status, because bivalence of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 and levels of H3K9ac were diminished. Also at day 60 of pregnancy of TNCS placenta, MHC-I is highly expressed and leads to maternal immune response against fetus tissue. In conclusion, several events are present and apparently contribute to early clone pregnancy instability, coinciding with high pregnancy losses in that phase

This thesis presents investigations of diversity at three genes (class I, DQA and DQB) of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) in cetaceans. The MHC genes encode for proteins that are crucial for initiating an immune response by binding invading pathogens in vertebrates. It has been acknowledged that a high diversity at these genes results in the ability to recognise a wider range of pathogens, therefore functional diversity is important for the survival of a species. Furthermore this diversity has been created under the influence of selection, which can reveal interesting contrasts with neutral markers about the history of selection of populations and species. The diversity at two genes (DQA and DQB) in natural populations of two contrasting species of cetaceans has been investigated in more detail. The species selected included both sub-species of Hector’s dolphin, the Hector’s dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori hectori) and the Maui’s dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori maui), as well as the long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas). These species were chosen, because both Hector’s dolphin sub-species contrast with the pilot whale species in regards to their population size, abundance, population structure and life history. For example both sub-species of Hector’s dolphin have small population sizes and only inhabit coastal areas around New Zealand, whereas the pilot whale is an abundant, pelagic dolphin species. In Chapter 2 the expression of class II MHC genes (DQA and DQB) was demonstrated for the first time for a cetacean species, the Hector’s dolphin. Using available information from the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), I also designed primers to investigate class I MHC. Fragments of MHC genes were amplified from cDNA, which was derived from blood samples of two Hector’s dolphins. These dolphins were the subject of a temporary live capture, presenting a unique opportunity for blood collection. No evidence was found for duplication of both MHC class II loci, but cloning suggested a minimum of three copies of class I genes within the genomic DNA. However, the expression of all class I genes was uncertain, since only one allele could be isolated from cDNA. Functionality for all three genes (class I, DQA and DQB) was supported by the evidence for balancing selection having operated on these genes, indicated by a higher ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous substitutions. In Chapter 3, a combination of single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and direct sequencing was used to describe DQA and DQB diversity in the Hector’s and Maui’s dolphin. Genetic samples for the Hector’s dolphin were available from previously collected stranding and biopsy samples (n = 233), representing three populations from the South Coast of New Zealand and the sub-species on the West Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. For the Hector’s dolphin of the South Island, a surprisingly large number of alleles at both loci (DQA = 4, DQB = 6) were found, considering their small population size and compared to other cetacean populations with larger population sizes. The Maui’s dolphin has been classified as critically endangered with less than 100 dolphins, but showed a relatively high nucleotide diversity for DQB ( = 4.5%). This diversity was based on only three alleles that have been retained in the sub-species, representing the most divergent of all six alleles. All populations showed strong geographic differentiation at both loci (DQA: FST=0.252; DQB: FST=0.333), with the greatest differentiation between the South Island population and the North Island Maui’s dolphin. Comparison to mitochondrial and microsatellite diversity suggested influence of stochastic genetic drift, although the pressure of balancing selection acting on DQB over an evolutionary time period was also evident by a higher ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous substitutions (dN/dS=5.9) and by a pattern of trans-specific allele sharing within the family of Delphinidae. In Chapter 4 similar methods were used to describe DQA and DQB in pilot whales using genetic samples from the long-finned pilot whale that were available from five mass-strandings from around New Zealand (n = 237). A larger number of alleles than for the Hector’s dolphin were found at both loci (DQA= 8; DQB= 8), although their large population size and pelagic abundance raises the expectation of an even greater number of alleles. The overall differentiation between mass-strandings was low, but significant for both loci (DQA: FST =0.012, DQB: FST =0.014). The differentiation of all strandings was greatest for the Golden Bay mass-stranding at DQA, but deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at DQB suggested either sub-structure within mass-strandings (Wahlund effect) or the presence of null alleles. As for the Hector’s dolphin and other mammalian species, the influence of balancing selection acting on DQB over a long evolutionary time period was evident by a higher ratio non-synonymous to synonymous substitutions (dN/dS=9.3) and by a pattern of trans-specific allele sharing within the family of Delphinidae. Overall, diversity is surprisingly similar between these two cetacean species despite different life history characteristic, but low compared to domesticated ungulate species, such as the cow. If low MHC diversity is a general feature of cetaceans, due to the marine environment as suggested previously or rather a side effect of short-term demographic forces remains speculative. A standardised nomenclature for the increasing number of MHC alleles from cetacean is proposed in this thesis to assist with future development of this research.

Genetic variation is crucial for the long-term survival of the species as it provides the potential for adaptive responses to environmental changes such as emerging diseases. The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is a gene family that plays a central role in the vertebrate’s immune system by triggering the adaptive immune response after exposure to pathogens. MHC genes have become highly suitable molecular markers of adaptive significance. They synthesize two primary cell surface molecules namely MHC class I and class II that recognize short fragments of proteins derived respectively from intracellular (e.g. viruses) and extracellular (e.g. bacteria, protozoa, arthropods) origins and present them to immune cells. High levels of MHC polymorphism frequently observed in natural populations are interpreted as an adaptation to detect and present a wide array of rapidly evolving pathogens. This variation appears to be largely maintained by positive selection driven mainly by pathogenic selective pressures. For my doctoral research I focused on MHC I and II variation in free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) and leopards (Panthera pardus) on Namibian farmlands. Both felid species are sympatric thus subject to similar pathogenic pressures but differ in their evolutionary and demographic histories. The main aims were to investigate 1) the extent and patterns of MHC variation at the population level in both felids, 2) the association between levels of MHC variation and disease resistance in free-ranging cheetahs, and 3) the role of selection at different time scales in shaping MHC variation in both felids. Cheetahs and leopards represent the largest free-ranging carnivores in Namibia. They concentrate in unprotected areas on privately owned farmlands where domestic and other wild animals also occur and the risk of pathogen transmission is increased. Thus, knowledge on adaptive genetic variation involved in disease resistance may be pertinent to both felid species’ conservation. The cheetah has been used as a classic example in conservation genetics textbooks due to overall low levels of genetic variation. Reduced variation at MHC genes has been associated with high susceptibility to infectious diseases in cheetahs. However, increased disease susceptibility has only been observed in captive cheetahs whereas recent studies in free-ranging Namibian cheetahs revealed a good health status. This raised the question whether the diversity at MHC I and II genes in free-ranging cheetahs is higher than previously reported. In this study, a total of 10 MHC I alleles and four MHC II alleles were observed in 149 individuals throughout Namibia. All alleles but one likely belong to functional MHC genes as their expression was confirmed. The observed alleles belong to four MHC I and three MHC II genes in the species as revealed by phylogenetic analyses. Signatures of historical positive selection acting on specific sites that interact directly with pathogen-derived proteins were detected in both MHC classes. Furthermore, a high genetic differentiation at MHC I was observed between Namibian cheetahs from east-central and north-central regions known to differ substantially in exposure to feline-specific viral pathogens. This suggests that the patterns of MHC I variation in the current population mirrors different pathogenic selective pressure imposed by viruses. Cheetahs showed low levels of MHC diversity compared with other mammalian species including felids, but this does not seem to influence the current immunocompetence of free-ranging cheetahs in Namibia and contradicts the previous conclusion that the cheetah is a paradigm species of disease susceptibility. However, it cannot be ruled out that the low MHC variation might limit a prosperous immunocompetence in the case of an emerging disease scenario because none of the remaining alleles might be able to recognize a novel pathogen. In contrast to cheetahs, leopards occur in most parts of Africa being perhaps the most abundant big cat in the continent. Leopards seem to have escaped from large-scale declines due to epizootics in the past in contrast to some free-ranging large carnivore populations in Africa that have been afflicted by epizootics. Currently, no information about the MHC sequence variation and constitution in African leopards exists. In this study, I characterized genetic variation at MHC I and MHC II genes in free-ranging leopards from Namibia. A total of six MHC I and six MHC II sequences were detected in 25 individuals from the east-central region. The maximum number of sequences observed per individual suggests that they likely correspond to at least three MHC I and three MHC II genes. Hallmarks of MHC evolution were confirmed such as historical positive selection, recombination and trans-species polymorphism. The low MHC variation detected in Namibian leopards is not conclusive and further research is required to assess the extent of MHC variation in different areas of its geographic range. Results from this thesis will contribute to better understanding the evolutionary significance of MHC and conservation implications in free-ranging felids. Translocation of wildlife is an increasingly used management tool for conservation purposes that should be conducted carefully as it may affect the ability of the translocated animals to cope with different pathogenic selective pressures. / Genetische Variabilität ist entscheidend für das langfristige Überleben von Arten, denn es ermöglicht dem Organismus sich Umweltveränderungen, wie z.B. neu aufkommende Krankheiten, schneller anzupassen. Der Haupthistocompatibilitätskomplex (MHC) ist eine Familie von Genen, der eine zentrale Rolle im Immunsystem von Wirbeltieren zukommt, da sie nach Pathogenkontakt das adaptive Immunsystem aktivieren. Zudem sind MHC Gene geeignete molekulare Marker um Anpassungsfähigkeiten aufzuzeigen. MHC Gene kodieren primär für Zelloberflächenmoleküle, die kurze Peptidfragmente erkennen und den Immunzellen präsentieren, die im Falle der Klasse I Gene intrazellulären (z.B. von Viren) oder im Falle der Klasse II Gene extrazellulären (z.B. von Bakterien, Protozoen, Arthropoden) Ursprungs sein können. In der Regel wird in natürlich vorkommenden Populationen ein hoher Grad an Polymorphismus im MHC beobachtet, was als Anpassung an das Erkennen und Präsentieren einer großen Anzahl sich schnell entwickelnder Pathogene interpretiert wird. Das Bestehen vieler MHC Varianten über große Zeiträume hinweg wird hauptsächlich durch positive Selektion bewirkt, der ein pathogengetriebener Selektionsdruck zugrunde liegt. In meiner Doktorarbeit habe ich mich mit der Variation von MHC I and MHC II in freilebenden Geparden (Acinonyx jubatus) und Leoparden (Panthera pardus) in Farmgebieten innerhalb Namibias beschäftigt. Beide Felidenarten leben sympatrisch und sind so demselben Pathogendruck ausgesetzt, sie unterscheiden sich allerdings in ihrem evolutionären und demographischen Hintergrund. Mein Hauptziel war es 1) das Ausmaß und Muster der MHC Variation auf Populationsebene beider Feliden zu untersuchen; 2) einen möglichen Zusammenhang zwischen dem Grad der MHC Variation und der Krankheitsresistenz in frei lebenden Geparden aufzudecken und 3) zu untersuchen, welche Rolle der Selektion auf die MHC Variabilität beider Arten in der Vergangenheit wie auch gegenwärtig zukommt. Geparden und Leoparden repräsentieren die größten frei lebenden Carnivoren Namibias. Beide Arten kommen hauptsächlich in Farmgebieten vor, die sich in Privatbesitz befinden, und können dort mit anderen Wild- aber auch Haustieren zusammentreffen und potentiell Krankheitserreger austauschen. Die Kenntnis über die adaptive genetische Variation, die für Krankheitsresistenzen mitverantwortlich ist, kann für den Schutz beider Felidenarten von Bedeutung sein. Geparden werden häufig in Lehrbüchern als klassische Beispiele für eine Tierart mit einer generell geringen genetischen Diversität verwendet. Neben neutralen Markern ist bei Geparden auch eine geringe Variabilität der MHC Gene beschrieben worden, die als Ursache einer hohen Anfälligkeit für infektiöse Krankheiten gesehen wird. Bisher wurde allerdings eine erhöhte Krankheitsanfälligkeit nur bei Geparden aus Gefangenschaft beschrieben, wohingegen neuste Studien an frei lebenden Geparden diesen einen guten Gesundheitsstatus attestierten. Dadurch stellt sich die Frage, ob die MHC I und II Diversität in frei lebenden Geparden nicht höher sein könnte als bisher angenommen. In dieser Arbeit konnten insgesamt 10 MHC I und vier MHC II Allele in 149 frei lebenden Geparden aus ganz Namibia nachgewiesen werden. Die Zugehörigkeit zu funktionellen MHC Genen wurde durch Expressionsanalysen bei allen Allelen, außer einem, bestätigt. Durch phylogenetische Analysen konnten die Allele vier MHC I und drei MHC II Genen zu geordnet werden. Das Wirken von positiver Selektion in der Vergangenheit konnte an spezifischen Aminosäuren des Proteins, die in direktem Kontakt zu den pathogenen Antigenen stehen, festgestellt werden. Dies traf für beide MHC Klassen zu. Des Weiteren konnte eine starke genetische Differenzierung des MHC I zwischen Geparden aus einer nord-zentralen und einer ost-zentralen Region festgestellt werden, von denen auch bekannt ist, dass sie unterschiedlichen, felidenspezifischen, viralen Pathogenen ausgesetzt sind. Das lässt vermuten, dass die unterschiedlichen Muster der MHC I Variation in der gegenwärtigen Population den unterschiedlichen pathogengetriebenen Selektionsdruck durch Viren in den beiden Regionen widerspiegelt. Verglichen mit anderen Säugetierarten, insbesondere andere Feliden, zeigen Geparden einen geringen Grad an MHC Diversität, doch das scheint die derzeitige Immunkompetenz frei lebender Geparden in Namibia nicht einzuschränken und widerspricht der bisherigen Meinung dass Geparden ein typisches Beispiel für eine krankheitsanfällige Tierart sind. Es kann allerdings nicht ausgeschlossen werden, dass bei neu auftauchenden Krankheiten die geringe MHC Variation eine erfolgreiche Immunkompetenz verhindert, da möglicherweise keines der gegenwärtigen Allele die Fähigkeit besitzt neue Pathogene zu erkennen. Im Gegensatz zu Geparden kommen Leoparden in allen Teilen Afrikas vor und sind wahrscheinlich die am weitverbreiteste Großkatze des afrikanischen Kontinents. Es scheint, dass Leoparden, im Gegensatz zu anderen afrikanischen Großkatzen, einer ausgedehnten Dezimierung durch Tierseuchen in der Vergangenheit, der einige Populationen afrikanischer Großkatzen ausgesetzt waren, entkommen sind. Bisher fehlten Information über die MHC Variabilität in afrikanischen Leoparden. In dieser Studie konnte ich die genetische Variation der MHC I und MHC II Gene frei lebender namibischer Leoparden charakterisieren. In 25 Tieren aus einer Population der ost-zentralen Region konnten sechs MHC I sowie sechs MHC II Sequenzen nachgewiesen werden. Aus der maximalen Anzahl Allele pro Tier kann auf drei MHC I und auf drei MHC II Gene geschlossen werden. Außerdem konnten die typischen Kennzeichen einer variationserhaltenden MHC Evolution betätigt werden, wie positive Selektion in der Vergangenheit, Rekombination und über Artgrenzen hinaus bestehender Polymorphismus. Der geringe Grad an MHC Variation in namibischen Leoparden ist jedoch noch nicht endgültig und weitere Untersuchungen in unterschiedlichen Regionen aus der gesamten geographischen Verbreitung des Leoparden sind notwendig um die MHC Variation der Leoparden in Gänze einschätzen zu können. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit werden zu einem besseren Verständnis des evolutionären Stellenwerts des MHC und in Folge zu einem besseren Schutz von frei lebenden Feliden beitragen. Die Umsiedelung von Wildtieren ist ein zunehmend angewendetes Hilfsmittel im Natur- und Artenschutz, welches jedoch mit Sorgfalt eingesetzt werden sollte, da die umgesiedelten Tiere möglicherweise einem anderen pathogenen Selektionsdruck ausgesetzt sind, dem sie nichts entgegenzusetzen haben.