Buruli ulcer in Ghana.

Presentation and CD4+ T cell responses to Ag in the context of MHC class II molecules require processing of native proteins into short peptide fragments. Within this pathway, IFN-γ-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase (GILT) functions to catalyze thiol bond reduction, thus unfolding native protein Ag and facilitating further processing via cellular proteases. In contrast with professional APCs such as B cells, class II-positive human melanomas expressed relatively little to no GILT protein or mRNA. Tumor cell GILT expression was partially restored with IFN-γ treatment but unlike other genes required for class II Ag presentation, GILT was not regulated by CIITA. Rather, studies revealed STAT1 plays a direct role in IFN-γ-inducible GILT expression. These results define a molecular mechanism for the uncoupled regulation of MHC class II genes and the processing enzyme GILT in human melanomas.