Abstract: Male-specific minor histocompatibility (H-Y) antigens are encoded by genes on the Y-chromosome. Generally, the minor H-Y antigens are ubiquitously expressed in male cells including fetal and trophoblast cells. It causes rejection of male tissue grafts by genotypically identical female mice and contributes to graft rejection or graft-versus-host (GVH) disease after HLA-identical stem cell transplantation. Cytotoxicity lymphocytic cells detected several distinct H-Y epitopes, and these are probably peptides, derived from intracellular protein, that are presented at the cell surface with major histocompatibility complex molecules. Processed peptide fragments of the H-Y proteins bind to HLA class Ⅰand class Ⅱ molecules and are presented to the immune system, and finally their possible impact on the outcome of transplantation. In recent years , more and more studies of the H-Y antigen were reported in the research. This review reflects some candidate genes of encoding male-specific histocompatibility antigen, and the foregrounds of the research in human and diseases are prospected.

Key words: H-Y antigens; candidate genes; antigen peptides