Inhibition of antigen transport by expression of infected cell peptide 47 (ICP47) prevents cell surface expression of HLA in choriocarcinoma cell lines

J Reprod Immunol. 2001 Apr;50(1):19-40. doi: 10.1016/s0165-0378(00)00088-7.

Abstract

Cell surface expression of HLA class I (including non-classical HLA-G) in JEG3 (choriocarcinoma cell line) was blocked by stable transfection with the sequence encoding the Herpes simplex virus protein, infected cell peptide 47 (ICP47) inserted into a vector pCEP4. Intracellular expression of ICP47 protein in ICP47-transfected cells was demonstrated. The lack of HLA cell surface expression was likely to be due to blockage of peptide transport from the cytoplasm into the endoplasmic reticulum by ICP47. ICP47 is known to block the heterodimeric transporter associated with antigen processing (formed from TAP1 and TAP2). Western blotting with a polyclonal antibody to the C-terminus of TAP1 showed high expression of TAP1 in BeWo and JEG3, but not JAR cells, expression that was strongly upregulated by gamma-interferon. Gamma-interferon also upregulated the cell surface expression of HLA class I. TAP1 was strongly expressed in MC2 and MC3 extravillous cytotrophoblast cell lines immortalised with the SV40 large T antigen. The results suggest a role for non-classical HLA in the presentation of antigenic peptides to the immune system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 2
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / analysis
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / biosynthesis
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Biological Transport, Active / immunology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Membrane / immunology
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Choriocarcinoma / genetics
  • Choriocarcinoma / immunology*
  • Choriocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Choriocarcinoma / virology
  • Down-Regulation / genetics
  • Down-Regulation / immunology*
  • Female
  • HLA Antigens / biosynthesis*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / biosynthesis
  • Humans
  • Immediate-Early Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Immediate-Early Proteins / genetics
  • Immediate-Early Proteins / physiology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Simplexvirus / immunology
  • Transfection
  • Trophoblasts / immunology
  • Trophoblasts / metabolism
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Uterine Neoplasms / genetics
  • Uterine Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Uterine Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Uterine Neoplasms / virology
  • Viral Proteins*

Substances

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 2
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
  • HLA Antigens
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • ICP47 protein, Herpes simplex virus
  • Immediate-Early Proteins
  • TAP1 protein, human
  • Viral Proteins