In vivo and in vitro formation and dissociation of HLA-DR complexes with invariant chain-derived peptides.

HLA-DR molecules associated with class II-associated invariant chain peptides (CLIP) are generated in vivo as an intermediate in class II maturation. Such complexes can be produced in vitro by proteolytic digestion of DR alpha beta I complexes, suggesting that CLIP is a residual fragment that remains associated with class II molecules following I chain degradation. In vitro, CLIP dissociation from DR alpha beta dimers occurs at different rates depending on the allele, and is facilitated by low pH and by detergents containing 8-10 carbon unbranched hydrocarbons, or by primary aliphatic amines or carboxylic acids. The accumulation of DR alpha beta CLIP complexes in HLA-DM-negative antigen-processing mutant cells argues that a functionally similar mechanism, dependent on HLA-DM expression, catalyzes in vivo CLIP dissociation and generation of normal class II-peptide complexes.