Histocompatibility
Proteins (MHC)
Shebina Babu
D3 Biotech
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a
set of cell surface proteins essential for acquired
immune system to recognize foreign molecules .
FUNCTIONS
DO - 1 No protein product
DP 2 2 DPA2,DPB2
DR 1 2 DRB2
DQ 2 3 DQB2,DQA2
f
POLYMORPHISM
Class II molecules show great polymorphism(their amino acid
sequence shows great variability. These sequence variations
are restricted to the 1 and 1 domains.
Within these domains, the polymorphic amino acids are
concentrated in three to four discrete hypervariable regions.
The outermost domains of each MHC class II chain (1 and 1)
fold together to form an open ended groove. This groove
functions as an Ag-binding site.
The hypervariabile regions are located almost exclusively in
the walls of the groove, and they determine the shape of the
groove.
A -pleated sheet composed of eight antiparallel strands
forms the floor of the groove, and the two -helices form its
walls.
In humans, DOB and DRA are the least polymorphic, while the
DRB genes and DQB1 are most polymorphic. This MHC class II
polymorphism results from multiple point mutations and gene
conversions.
FUNCTION
The presentation of exogenous antigen is the prime
function.