Evidence for the absence of I-E/C antigen expression on the cell surface in mice of the H-2b or H-2s haplotypes.

Mouse Ia antigens encoded by I-E/C subregions of the H-2b and H-2s haplotypes have not previously been detected with alloantisera. We have therefore examined the reactivity of xenoantisera, which could potentially detect nonpolymorphic determinants of these antigens, by using a sequential immunoprecipitation analysis of internally labeled glycoproteins from spleen lymphocytes of H-2b and H-2s haplotypes. The first xenoanti-serum, BN rat anti-B10 (H-2b) mouse, contained anti-Ia reactivity but precipitated only I-A antigens from both H-2b preparations and from preparations of another haplotype (H-2a) that is known to express I-E/C alloantigens. The second xenoantiserum, goat anti-Ia, was raised against soluble Ia antigens of H-2d haplotype. This serum lysed lymphocytes of all H-2 haplotypes tested and precipitated both I-A and I-E/C antigens from H-2d antigen preparations. However, when b or s haplotype antigens were examined, this antiserum precipitated only I-A antigens. These observations favor the hypothesis that I-E/C antigens are not expressed in these haplotypes. This hypothesis offers a possible explanation for the broad interspecies cross-reactions of anti-I-E/C alloantisera raised in either H-2b or H-2s haplotypes and may have implications for studies of two-gene control of immune responses.