Antibody-induced association between discrete regions of HLA class I and II antigens.

The anti-HLA-DR + DP monoclonal antibody (MoAb) CR11-462 was unexpectedly found to cross-inhibit the binding to B lymphoid cells of the anti-HLA Class I MoAb CR10-215 and CR11-115. The latter two antibodies recognized the same or spatially close antigenic determinant. The cross-blocking of anti-HLA Class I MoAb CR10-215 and CR11-115 by MoAb CR11-462 reflects neither its contamination by anti-HLA Class I antibodies nor its cross-reactivity with HLA Class I antigens. On the other hand, the cross-blocking appears to reflect redistribution of HLA Class II antigens by the MoAb CR11-462, since the MoAb CR10-215 and CR11-115 are not susceptible to blocking when lymphoid cells are treated with 0.025% glutaraldehyde or are coated with Fab9 fragments of the MoAb CR11-462. Furthermore, immunoprecipitates from B lymphoid cells preincubated with the MoAb CR11-462 before solubilization contain HLA Class I antigens. Therefore, these results have shown for the first time an antibody-induced association between discrete regions of HLA Class I and Class II antigens on the membrane of B lymphoid cells.