H-2K/sup bm3/ mutation decreases the anti-vesicular stomatitis virus cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response

The authors have identified the substrain of mouse possessing the H-2K/sup bm3/ mutation as expressing a low anti-Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response upon secondary in vitro elicitation with ultraviolet light-inactivated virus. The CTL elicited from both the mutant, M505 (bm3), and the parental strain, C57B1/6(B6), kill B6 targets better than bm3 targets. Likewise, in cold target inhibition assays, unlabeled B6 cells inhibited better than unlabeled bm3 cells the recognition of 51Cr-labeled B6 targets regardless of whether B6 or bm3 CTL effector cells were used. CTL from both B6 and bm3 mice are H-2 restricted, virus specific, and possess the Thyl, Lyt2,3 phenotype. In addition, the effector cells use the H-2K molecule as the major restricting element. Both B6 and bm3 cells were shown by radiolabeling and immunoprecipitation to express an equivalent amount of G protein, the major viral surface glycoprotein, as well as equivalent amounts of H-2K. These data suggest the bm3 mutation in H-2K alters the association of H-2K with either the G protein or with a molecule on the CTL required for secondary in vitro elicitation