Nature 256, 50 - 52 (03 July 1975); doi:10.1038/256050a0

Enhanced immunological surveillance in mice heterozygous at the H-2 gene complex

PETER C. DOHERTY & ROLF M. ZINKERNAGEL

Department of Microbiology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia

THE major histocompatibility (H) antigens of higher animals show extreme genetic polymorphism equalled, in higher vertebrates, only by that associated with the immunoglobulins¹. Maintenance of such a high rate of variability implies evolutionary advantage for heterozygotes in the HL-A system for man, or at the H-2 gene complex in mice^2,3. We propose a possible selective mechanism, based on the realisation that immunological surveillance function (defined here as recognition and elimination of modified host cells by sensitised thymus-derived lymphocytes (T-cells) may be considerably enhanced in mice heterozygous at the H-2 gene complex.

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