Figure 5. Neither Ag competition, T cell competition, ERAD nor enhanced autophagy explain increased T_H cell response to pHY in TAP⁰ mice.

(a) B6, B6.129-TPN⁰ and B6.129-β2m⁰ female mice were immunised with male donor B.129-TAP⁰ splenocytes and IFN-γ response by CD4 T cells to pHY/A^b and pHX/A^b was assessed 7d later by ex vivo ELIspot assay. Data represents 3 similar experiments using 27 recipient mice; ± sem. (b) B6 and B6.129-CD8α⁰ female mice were immunised with either male donor C.B10-H2^b, or B.129-TAP⁰ splenocytes. IFN-γ response by CD4 T cells to pHY/A^b and pHX/A^b was determined by ex vivo ELIspot assay 7d later. Data represents 4 similar experiments using 24 recipient mice; ± sem. (c) Female B6 mice were immunised with male donor 129 splenocytes treated with either DMSO or tunicamycin for ~2hrs. IFN-γ response by T_H cells to pHY/A^b and pHX/A^b was determined 7d later as described above. Data represents 2 similar experiments using 12 recipient mice; ± sem. (d) Female B6 mice were immunised with male donor 129 splenocytes incubated in either nutrition-rich medium or HBSS for ~3hrs and IFN-γ response by T_H cells to pHY/A^b and pHX/A^b was assessed 7d later as above. Data represent 2 similar experiments using 12 recipient mice; ± sem. (e) Protein extracts from SV40 TAg-transformed wt, TAP⁰ and β2m⁰ kidney fibroblast lines were separated by SDS-PAGE, transferred onto PVDF membrane and probed with LC3- and GADPH-specific mAbs.