Anti-HLA E (PE), clone 3D12

Protein function: Non-classical major histocompatibility class Ib molecule involved in immune self-nonself discrimination. In complex with B2M/beta-2-microglobulin binds nonamer self-peptides derived from the signal sequence of classical MHC class Ia molecules (VL9 peptides) (PubMed:9754572, PubMed:18083576, PubMed:18339401). Peptide-bound HLA- E-B2M heterotrimeric complex primarily functions as a ligand for natural killer (NK) cell inhibitory receptor KLRD1-KLRC1, enabling NK cells to monitor the expression of other MHC class I molecules in healthy cells and to tolerate self (PubMed:9754572, PubMed:9486650, PubMed:17179229, PubMed:18083576). Upon cellular stress, preferentially binds signal sequence-derived peptides from stress-induced chaperones and is no longer recognized by NK cell inhibitory receptor KLRD1-KLRC1, resulting in impaired protection from NK cells (PubMed:12461076). Binds signal sequence-derived peptides from non-classical MHC class Ib HLA-G molecules and acts as a ligand for NK cell activating receptor KLRD1- KLRC2, likely playing a role in the generation and effector functions of adaptive NK cells and in maternal-fetal tolerance during pregnancy (PubMed:9754572, PubMed:30134159). Besides self-peptides, can also bind and present pathogen-derived peptides conformationally similar to VL9 peptides to alpha-beta T cell receptor (TCR) on unconventional CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, ultimately triggering antimicrobial immune response (PubMed:16474394, PubMed:30087334). [The UniProt Consortium]