Transcriptional regulation of HLA class-II genes

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II represents a set of coordinately expressed genes. They offer an exceptional system for the study of eukaryotic transcription because: class-II genes are expressed in a tissue-specific and lymphokine-inducible fashion; while most members of the class-II gene family share regulatory motifs, some are aberrantly or not expressed; the levels of surface-associated class-II determinants have important consequences for the immune response, and the only known congenital human genetic deficiency in a regulatory factor affects the transcription of class-II genes.