The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is a set of genes that play a crucial role in the immune system by presenting peptide fragments to T cells. These genes are highly polymorphic and are essential for the adaptive immune response. MHC Class I molecules are one of the two primary classes of MHC molecules, the other being MHC Class II .
MHC Class I molecules are heterodimers consisting of two polypeptide chains: an alpha chain and a beta-2 microglobulin (B2M) chain . These molecules are expressed on the surface of almost all nucleated cells and are responsible for presenting endogenous peptides, typically derived from cytosolic proteins, to cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) . This presentation is crucial for the immune system to recognize and eliminate infected or cancerous cells .
MHC Class I F (HLA-F in humans) is a non-classical MHC Class I molecule. Unlike classical MHC Class I molecules (HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-C), which are highly polymorphic and ubiquitously expressed, HLA-F has limited polymorphism and a more restricted expression pattern . HLA-F is primarily expressed in the placenta and certain immune cells, and it plays a role in immune regulation and tolerance .
Recombinant HLA-F refers to the laboratory-produced version of the HLA-F protein. This recombinant protein is used in various research applications to study its structure, function, and interactions with other molecules. The production of recombinant HLA-F involves cloning the HLA-F gene into an expression vector, which is then introduced into a host cell line to produce the protein .
Recombinant HLA-F is used in several research areas, including: