Interaction of tapasin related protein with cell surface MHC class 1 heavy chain molecules

Abstract

Tapasin related (TR) protein shares similarity (27%) with tapasin and is present in endoplasmic reticulam (ER) and on the cell surface of Hela cells. In the present article, TR protein was found localized in ER, but not in the lysosomes or late endosomes as studied by confocal colocalization. TR protein was associated with cell surface MHC class 1 HLA A2 heavy chain (HC) molecules and might be involved in chaperoning of cell surface HC MHC class 1 molecule. The results indicated that MHC class 1 cell surface molecules involved in antigen presentation of exogenous antigens, interact with cell surface chaperons.