Minor H antigens: genes and peptides

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Abstract
Summary: In this review, we describe the evidence from which the existence of non‐MHC histocompatibility (H) antigens was deduced, the clinical setting of bone marrow transplantation in which they are important targets for T‐cell responses, and the current understanding of their molecular identity. We list the peptide epitopes of the human and murine minor H antigens now identified at the molecular level, their MHC restriction molecules and the genes encoding them. Identification of the peptide epitopes allows T‐cell responses to these antigens following transplantation of MHC‐matched, minor H‐mismatched tissues to be enumerated using tetramers and elispot assays. This will facilitate analysis of correlations with host‐versus‐graft (HVG), graft‐versus‐host (GVH) and graft‐versus‐leukaemia (GVL) reactions in vivo. The potential to use minor H peptides to modulate in vivo responses to minor H antigens is discussed. Factors controlling immunodominance of T‐cell responses to one or a few of many potential minor H antigens remain to be elucidated but are important for making predictions of in vivo HVG, GVH and GVL responses and tailoring therapy after HLA‐matched bone marrow transplantation and donor lymphocyte infusion.