biostudies-literatureHussey KGerald Kerkut Charitable TrustMorris Animal Foundation351https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8953681biostudies-literatureUnknown11(3)Devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) is a transmissible cancer that has circulated in the Tasmanian devil population for >25 years. Like other contagious cancers in dogs and devils, the way DFTD escapes the immune response of its host is a central question to understanding this disease. DFTD has a low major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) expression due to epigenetic modifications, preventing host immune recognition of mismatched MHC-I molecules by T cells. However, the total MHC-I loss should result in natural killer (NK) cell activation due to the ‘missing self’. Here, we have investigated the expression of the nonclassical MHC-I, Saha-UD as a potential regulatory or suppressive mechanism for DFTD. A monoclonal antibody was generated against the devil Saha-UD that binds recombinPathogens (Basel, Switzerland)Expression of the Nonclassical MHC Class I, Saha-UD in the Transmissible Cancer Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD).PMC8953681KA HusseyD18ZO-104Siddle HVSkjodt KPye RCaldwell AHussey KKreiss AWoods GMHamede RGastaldello AfalseExpression of the Nonclassical MHC Class I, Saha-UD in the Transmissible Cancer Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD).Devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) is a transmissible cancer that has circulated in the Tasmanian devil population for >25 years. Like other contagious cancers in dogs and devils, the way DFTD escapes the immune response of its host is a central question to understanding this disease. DFTD has a low major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) expression due to epigenetic modifications, preventing host immune recognition of mismatched MHC-I molecules by T cells. However, the total MHC-I loss should result in natural killer (NK) cell activation due to the ‘missing self’. Here, we have investigated the expression of the nonclassical MHC-I, Saha-UD as a potential regulatory or suppressive mechanism for DFTD. A monoclonal antibody was generated against the devil Saha-UD that binds recombin2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Mar2026-04-08T17:36:20.179Z2025-04-06T12:09:08.822ZS-EPMC89536813533567510.3390/pathogens11030351