Expression of the I-E target antigen for T-cell killing requires two genes.

The H-2Ik region encodes at least two different target antigens for unrestricted T-cell mediated killing. The first is controlled by the I-A region alone and the second depends on a pair of alleles, one located to the left of I-B (presumably in I-A) and the other to the right of I-J (presumably in I-E). Hence, effector cells nominally specific for a product of the I-E region do not kill target cells with the same I-E region as the stimulator unless the I-A region is also shared. Some effectors specific for H-2Ik, such as A.TH anti-A.TL and B10.A(4R) anti-B10.A(2R), cross-react with B10.A(3R) and B10.A(5R) target cells. A product of the H-2b haplotype was shown to complement products of the H-2d or H-2k haplotypes in forming this cross-reactive determinant. The results are consistent with recent biochemical data on the component chains of Ia antigens.