Regulation of IFN-gamma-induced host cell MHC antigen expression by Kirsten MSV and MLV. I. Effects on class I antigen expression.

We have reported previously that the Kirsten murine sarcoma virus (Ki-MSV) that carries the v-Ki-ras oncogene prevents C3H10T 1/2 fibroblasts from being able to respond to interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) with the expression of the class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen, H-2A. In this report we investigate further as to whether MSV or its parent virus Kirsten murine leukaemia virus (Ki-MLV) is able to reduce host class I MHC antigen expression. The results demonstrate that class I expression is diminished in MSV-infected cells over a time-course of 7 days after exposure to IFN-gamma and over a range of IFN-gamma concentrations. The optimal concentration of IFN-gamma for maximal class I expression remained unchanged. Cells infected with Ki-MLV, which failed to abolish the induction by IFN-gamma of class II antigens, also expressed lower levels of class I antigens, similar to those for cells infected with Ki-MSV, after exposure to IFN-gamma. It is likely therefore that the inhibition of class I induction is due to genetic material shared between the viruses, principally in the long terminal repeats (LTR), and hence that the mechanism of action is distinct from that responsible for the abolition of class II induction by Ki-MSV alone. Since class I antigens are required for CD8+ T cells (mainly cytotoxic T cells) to recognize (foreign) antigen this reduction in class I expression might lead to reduced visibility of infected cells to T cells and thus might contribute to the tumorigenicity of Ki-MSV-infected cells.