My4+/LeuM3- molecule and CD19 antigen are down-modulate by low affinity Fc gamma receptor II (CD32) stimulation on CD56-positive B-lymphoma cells.

My4+/LeuM3- molecule is recognized by My4, but not by LeuM3, both well known mAbs to CD14. In a previous study we showed that the My4+/LeuM3- molecule on a human monoblastic cell line, U937, is not CD14, but another cell surface antigen. The roles and functions of the My4+/LeuM3- molecule remained unknown. We now report that specific stimulation of Fc gammaR with aggregated IgG or anti-Fc gammaRII antibody down-modulated the My4+/LeuM3- molecules, as well as CD19, in a case of CD56-positive B cell lymphoma. Stimulation of Fc gammaR with anti-mu antibody, which induced concomitant stimulation of sIg, did not induce down-modulation of either molecule. Stimulation of CR2 (CD21), a protein which is functionally or physically associated with CD19, with anti-CR2 (CD21) mAbs also had no effect. The modulation occurred specifically on CD56-positive B-lymphoma cells, since My4+/LeuM3(-)-positive, CD56-negative B-lymphoma cells did not respond to the stimulation. These results suggest that CD19 and My4+/LeuM3- molecules are functionally or physically associated with Fc gammaR II on CD56 positive B-lymphoma cells defined as being at a terminal B cell differentiation stage.