The ability of the immune system to focus T cell responses against a select
number of potential epitopes of a complex antigen is termed immunodominanc
e. Epitopes that trigger potent T cell activation, after in vivo priming, a
re classified as immunodominant. By contrast, determinants that fail to eli
cit any response are called cryptic. DM, a major histocompatibility complex
(MHC) heterodimer, plays a pivotal role in the presentation of MHC class I
I-restricted epitopes by catalyzing the exchange of class II-associated inv
ariant chain peptide with the antigen-derived peptides within the MHC class
II binding groove. Using L cells transfected with genes for MHC class II,
invariant chain, and DM, we have studied the contribution of DM in the pres
entation of two cryptic (peptide 11-25 and peptide 20-35) and one dominant
(peptide 106-116) epitope of hen egg white lysozyme (HEL). Cells lacking DM
heterodimers efficiently display the determinants HEL 11-25 and HEL 20-35
to T cells. Strikingly, however, cells expressing DM are severely compromis
ed in their ability to present the cryptic HEL 11-25/A(d) and 20-35/A(d) ep
itopes. DM-mediated antagonism of HEL 11-25/A(d) and 20-35/A(d) presentatio
n could thus be central to 11-25/A(d) and 20-35/A(d) being cryptic epitopes
in the HEL system. Interestingly, the display of the immunodominant epitop
e of HEL, 106-116/E-d, and of a dominant epitope of sperm whale myoglobin (
SWM), 102-118/A(d), is entirely dependent on the expression of DM. Thus, ce
lls lacking DM molecules are unable to efficiently express HEL 106-116/E-d
and SWM 102-118/A(d) determinants. We conclude that the DM heterodimers dir
ect the immunodominant and cryptic fate of antigenic epitopes in vivo.