The nonpolymorphic MHC Qa-1 ^b mediates CD8 ⁺ T cell surveillance of antigen-processing defects

Abstract

The nonclassical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) Qa-1 ^b accommodates monomorphic leader peptides and functions as a ligand for germ line receptors CD94/NKG2, which are expressed by natural killer cells and CD8 ⁺ T cells. We here describe that the conserved peptides are replaced by a novel peptide repertoire of surprising diversity as a result of impairments in the antigen-processing pathway. This novel peptide repertoire represents immunogenic neoantigens for CD8 ⁺ T cells, as we found that these Qa-1 ^b–restricted T cells dominantly participated in the response to tumors with processing deficiencies. A surprisingly wide spectrum of target cells, irrespective of transformation status, MHC background, or type of processing deficiency, was recognized by this T cell subset, complying with the conserved nature of Qa-1 ^b. Target cell recognition depended on T cell receptor and Qa-1 ^b interaction, and immunization with identified peptide epitopes demonstrated in vivo priming of CD8 ⁺ T cells. Our data reveal that Qa-1 ^b, and most likely its human homologue human leukocyte antigen-E, is important for the defense against processing-deficient cells by displacing the monomorphic leader peptides, which relieves the inhibition through CD94/NKG2A on lymphocytes, and by presenting a novel repertoire of immunogenic peptides, which recruits a subset of cytotoxic CD8 ⁺ T cells.