Genetic control of the murine T lymphocyte proliferative response to collagen: analysis of the molecular and cellular contributions to immunogenicity.

The genetic control of the murine immune response to denatured beef type II collagen was examined in an antigen-presenting cell-dependent T cell proliferation assay. It was found that the response to collagen is under the control of H-2-linked Ir genes, possibly operating at the level of the antigen-presenting macrophage. Utilizing in vitro cross-stimulation with synthetic collagen-like polypeptides, the data suggest that the antigenic determinants stimulating collagen immune T cells are more dependent on primary amino acid sequence and less on conformation. The implications of such findings for Ir gene specificity and other related immunologic functions is discussed.