H2-Kb Background Information Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules form an integral part of the immune response system. They are cell-surface receptors that bind foreign peptides and present them to cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). MHC class I molecules consist of two polypeptide chains, a heavy chain (H2-Kb) and a non-covalently associated protein, ∫-2-Microglobulin. Genes coding for the components of the MHC are located on human chromosome 6. When not forming the heavy chain of MHC class I assemblies, the free H2-Kb molecules are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum in fibroblasts. Treatment with plasmids containing the H2-Kb gene has been shown to reduce the proliferation of certain head and neck cancers in mice.
