Class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) alpha chain immunoglobulin domain of histocompatibility antigen (HLA) DR; member of the C1-set of Ig superfamily (IgSF) domains
The members here are composed of the immunoglobulin (Ig) domain of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II alpha chain of histocompatibility antigen (HLA) DR. MHC class II molecules are encoded by three different loci, HLA-DR, -DQ, and -DP, which are about 70% similar to each other. HLA-DR is a cell surface receptor protein found on antigen presenting cells. It is an alphabeta heterodimer of type MHC class II. The alpha and beta chains are encoded by two loci, HLA-DRA1 and HLA-DRB1, that are adjacent to each other on chromosome band 6p21.31. Susceptibility to multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis are associated with the human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen HLA-DR2 and HLA-DR4, respectively. MHC class II molecules play a key role in the initiation of the antigen-specific immune reponse. These molecules have been shown to be expressed constitutively on the cell surface of professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs), including B-lymphocytes, monocytes, and macrophages in both humans and mice. The expression of these molecules has been shown to be induced in nonprofessional APCs such as keratinocyctes, and they are expressed on the surface of activated human T cells and on T cells from other species. The MHC II molecules present antigenic peptides to CD4(+) T-lymphocytes. These peptides derive mostly from proteolytic processing via the endocytic pathway, of antigens internalized by the APC. These peptides bind to the MHC class II molecules in the endosome before they are transported to the cell surface. MHC class II molecules are heterodimers, comprised of two similarly-sized membrane-spanning chains, alpha and beta. Each chain had two globular domains (N- and C-terminal), and a membrane-anchoring transmembrane segment. The two chains form a compact four-domain structure. The peptide-binding site is a cleft in the structure.
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