Nitrosylation of Platelet MHC Class I Molecules Directs Their Movement into the Immunosuppressive MHC Class I Processing Pathway within Antigen Presenting Cells.

Previous studies have demonstrated that recipient mice require the production of nitric oxide (NO) within their antigen presenting cells (APC) in order to generate IgG anti-donor immunity against allogeneic platelet transfusions. NO has a complex biochemistry and several of its conjurors could be involved in this response; the most obvious is peroxynitrite (ONOO-) generated by the spontaneous combination of NO and superoxide (O₂•⁻). ONOO- is a potent oxidant that can spontaneously nitrosylate lysine and tyrosine residues in proteins within the phagolysosome. To address the role of ONOO- in platelet immunity, we transfused GP91 PHOX knockout mice that lack the ability to produce O₂•⁻ and thus ONOO-. Results show that when wild type C57BL/6 mice were transfused with allogeneic BALB/c platelets, they developed a weak IgG anti-donor antibody response by the fifth transfusion. In contrast, PHOX KO mice generated IgG anti-donor antibodies by the 2^nd transfusion and their IgG anti-donor antibody titres were significantly higher than the WT recipients. This suggested that ONOO- and protein nitrosylation may be linked with an immunosuppressive event within the recipient. This was confirmed by demonstrating that in vitro nitrosylation of platelet antigens with the ONOO- donor SIN-1 inhibited the ability of the platelets to mount an IgG immune response when transfused into allogeneic recipients. Nitrosylated platelet antigen trafficking within recipient APC was assessed by using adherent macrophages and various inhibitors of processing. When adherent APC were pulsed with nitrosylated platelet antigens in the presence of either Brefeldin A or proteosome inhibitors, IgG anti-platelet immunity against the platelets was restored. Furthermore, the IgG immunity could also be rescued against the nitrsosylated platelets if the recipients were first depleted of CD8+ T cells by injection of a monoclonal antibody. These results suggest that if platelet antigens are nitrosylated within antigen presenting cells, they are preferentially shunted to the MHC class I processing pathway and presented to CD8+ T cells that suppress the IgG immune response. Thus, it appears that reactive oxygen species act as intracellular regulators that determine whether a productive IgG immune response against platelet transfusions will occur.