Cutting edge: Monarch-1: A pyrin/nucleotide-binding domain/leucine-rich repeat protein that controls classical and nonclassical MHC class I genes

Proteins containing a limited number of N-terminal motifs followed by nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat regions are emerging as important regulators for immunity. A search of human genome scaffold databases has identified a large family of known and unknown genes, which we have recently called the CATERPILLER (caspase recruitment domain, transcription enhancer, r(purine)-binding, pyrin, lots of leucine repeats) gene family. This work describes the characterization of a new member, Monarch-1. Monarch-1 has four different splice forms due to the differential splicing of leucine-rich repeat motifs. It is expressed in cells of myeloid-monocytic origin. Affymetrix microarrays and small interfering RNA were used to elucidate the downstream effects of Monarch-1 expression in cells including those of myeloid-monocytic origin. These analyses show that Monarch-1 enhances nonclassical and classical MHC class I expression at the level of the promoter, RNA, and protein expression.