The Guinea Pig MHC: Functional Significance and Structural Characterization

The first immune response (Ir) gene was discovered in the guinea pig over a decade ago (Levine et al. 1963) and was later shown to be linked to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) (Ellman et al. 1970). Other guinea pig Ir genes were soon described and also demonstrated to be MHC-linked. Inbred strain-2 guinea pigs were shown to possess the PLL-Ir gene conferring the ability to respond to a linear polymer of l-lysine (PLL) and to a random copolymer of glutamic acid and lysine (GL) and the GA-Ir gene allowing a response to the random copolymer of glutamic acid and alanine (GA) (Bluestein et al. 1971). Inbred strain-13 guinea pigs were shown to have the GT-Ir gene permitting them to respond to the random copolymer of glutamic acid and tyrosine (GT) (Bluestein et al. 1971) and the DNP-GPA-Ir gene which allowed them to respond to a low dose of the...