MHC class II molecules are expressed in a limited number of cell types
, including B lymphocytes and macrophages (M phi). IFN-gamma increases
the surface expression of class II molecules in a murine B cell line
without inducing detectable changes in either I-A or I-A mRNA levels.
In bone marrow-derived M phi, IFN-gamma causes an increase in class II
expression at both the mRNA and surface levels, In addition to the in
crease in transcription rates described for M phi, IFN-gamma increases
the rate of synthesis of IA alpha and IA beta proteins and the riboso
me loading for both mRNA molecules in both cell types. Interestingly,
there is a significant peak of free I-A mRNA in noninduced cells, Ther
efore, IFN-gamma regulates the expression of MHC class II molecules at
the translational level in both B cells and M phi and, as already rep
orted, at the transcriptional level only in M phi. The actual mechanis
m of regulation causes changes in the translation initiation rates in
both cell types, as demonstrated by an increase in ribosome loading in
polysome gradients.