Analysis of two cDNA clones encoding the B lymphocyte antigen CD20 (B1, Bp35), a type III integral membrane protein.

Two cDNA clones encoding the pan-B cell CD20 antigen were isolated from a COS cell expression library. The two clones bear identical coding sequences and differ only in the length of the 3' untranslated region. The predicted CD20 sequence is 297 residues long and contains three hydrophobic domains, one of which is long enough to span the membrane twice. COS cells transfected with either CD20 clone express an immunoreactive protein of 33 kD.

CD19, the earliest differentiation antigen of the B cell lineage, bears three extracellular immunoglobulin-like domains and an Epstein-Barr virus-related cytoplasmic tail.

The isolation and expression of a full-length cDNA clone encoding the B cell-specific glycoprotein CD19 is reported. The sequence of the cDNA predicts a glycosylated integral membrane protein with a precursor molecular weight of 51.8 x 10(3) and an extracellular domain organized into three contiguous Ig-like sub-domains. The cytoplasmic domain bears significant relatedness to two proteins encoded by the Epstein-Barr virus and the int-1 oncogene. CD19 transcripts are restricted to members of the B cell lineage, being most abundant in pre-B cell lines and least abundant in plasmacytomas.

Fas and tumor necrosis factor receptor-mediated cell death: similarities and distinctions.

Fas antigen and two tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFR), p55 and p75, are implicated in the triggering of cell death upon stimulation by natural ligands and specific monoclonal antibodies. However, the relative efficiency of each receptor, the mechanisms that regulate their function and the signaling pathways they employ, remain to be elucidated. In this study, fusion proteins, composed of the extracellular domain of CD40 and the intracellular and transmembrane domains of Fas, TNFRp55 and TNFRp75, were stably expressed in a human melanoma cell line that is deficient in Fas and TNFR expression. Transfectants were stimulated by a soluble recombinant form of the CD40 ligand gp39, and the effect on cell viability determined. Engagement of all three fusion proteins by the gp39 ligand induced lethal signals, but the rate at which cell death occurred was distinct. Fas-derived signals were observed to have the most rapid effect, killing most cells within hours of stimulation, whereas TNFRp55- and TNFRp75-associated signals resulted in cell death within 2-3 d after engagement by ligand. It is interesting to note that optimal cell killing by all three fusion proteins was dependent on a critical, low to intermediate, cell surface expression level. High levels of fusion protein expression, on the other hand, were associated with inhibition of cell death. Our results provide a model to study Fas and TNFR-mediated cell death and suggest a novel mechanism for the regulation of death signals triggered by members of the TNFR family.

Distinct effects of two CD44 isoforms on tumor growth in vivo.

Tumor growth is dependent in part on interactions between tumor cells and the extracellular matrix of host tissues. Expression of the cell surface glycoprotein CD44/Pgp-1, which mediates cell-substrate interactions is increased in many types of malignancies, but the role of CD44 in tumor growth is largely undefined. Recently, two isoforms of CD44 have been identified: an 80-90 kD form, which has high affinity for cell bound hyaluronate and a 150 kD form which does not mediate attachment to hyaluronate-coated surfaces. In this work, human B cell lymphoma cells stably transfected with cDNA clones encoding either of the two CD44 isoforms were compared for tumorigenicity and metastatic potential in nude mice. Expression of the 80-90 kD form but not the 150 kD form of CD44 greatly enhanced both local tumor formation and metastatic proclivity of the lymphoma cells. Our results suggest that CD44 polypeptides may play an important role in regulating primary and metastatic tumor development in vivo.

Inhibition of tumor growth in vivo with a soluble CD44-immunoglobulin fusion protein.

CD44H is the principal cell surface receptor for hyaluronate, which is a major glycosaminoglycan of the extracellular matrix. Expression of CD44H is enhanced in a variety of malignant tumors and correlates with tumor aggressiveness, supporting the notion that interaction between CD44H and hyaluronate may play an important role in tumor growth and dissemination. In this report we show that in vivo tumor formation by human lymphoma Namalwa cells, stably transfected with CD44H, can be suppressed by a soluble human CD44H-immunoglobulin fusion protein. Disruption of the interaction between CD44H and its physiologic ligands may provide a novel strategy for controlling tumor growth in vivo.

Interaction between CD44 and hyaluronate is directly implicated in the regulation of tumor development.

CD44 is implicated in the regulation of tumor growth and metastasis but the mechanism by which expression of different CD44 isoforms determines the rate of primary and secondary tumor growth remains unclear. In the present study we use a human melanoma transfected with wild-type and mutant forms of CD44 to determine which functional property of the CD44 molecule is critical in influencing tumor behavior. We show that expression of a wild-type CD44 isoform that binds hyaluronic acid augments the rapidity of tumor formation by melanoma cells in vivo, whereas expression of a CD44 mutant, which does not mediate cell attachment to hyaluronate, fails to do so. The importance of CD44-hyaluronate interaction in tumor development is underscored by the differential inhibitory effect of soluble wild-type and mutant CD44-Ig fusion proteins on melanoma growth in vivo. Whereas local administration of a mutant, nonhyaluronate binding, CD44-Ig fusion protein has no effect on subcutaneous melanoma growth in mice, infusion of wild-type CD44-Ig is shown to block tumor development. Taken together, these observations suggest that the tumor growth promoting property of CD44 is largely dependent on its ability to mediate cell attachment to hyaluronate.

Induction of apoptosis of metastatic mammary carcinoma cells in vivo by disruption of tumor cell surface CD44 function.

To understand how the hyaluronan receptor CD44 regulates tumor metastasis, the murine mammary carcinoma TA3/St, which constitutively expresses cell surface CD44, was transfected with cDNAs encoding soluble isoforms of CD44 and the transfectants (TA3sCD44) were compared with parental cells (transfected with expression vector only) for growth in vivo and in vitro. Local release of soluble CD44 by the transfectants inhibited the ability of endogenous cell surface CD44 to bind and internalize hyaluronan and to mediate TA3 cell invasion of hyaluronan-producing cell monolayers. Mice intravenously injected with parental TA3/St cells developed massive pulmonary metastases within 21-28 d, whereas animals injected with TA3sCD44 cells developed few or no tumors. Tracing of labeled parental and transfectant tumor cells revealed that both cell types initially adhered to pulmonary endothelium and penetrated the interstitial stroma. However, although parental cells were dividing and forming clusters within lung tissue 48 h following injection, >80% of TA3sCD44 cells underwent apoptosis. Although sCD44 transfectants displayed a marked reduction in their ability to internalize and degrade hyaluronan, they elicited abundant local hyaluronan production within invaded lung tissue, comparable to that induced by parental cells. These observations provide direct evidence that cell surface CD44 function promotes tumor cell survival in invaded tissue and that its suppression can induce apoptosis of the invading tumor cells, possibly as a result of impairing their ability to penetrate the host tissue hyaluronan barrier.

Redirection of tumor metastasis by expression of E-selectin in vivo.

The selectin class of adhesion molecules plays a critical role in facilitating leukocyte adhesion to and subsequent transmigration of endothelium. On this basis, selectins have been suggested to promote tumor cell attachment to endothelium, thereby facilitating metastasis of certain types of tumors, although direct evidence for such a role is lacking. To explore this hypothesis, two sets of transgenic mice were developed: TgnES, which constitutively expresses cell surface E-selectin in all tissues, under the control of the beta-actin promoter; and TgnEsol, which expresses truncated, soluble E-selectin in the liver, under the control of the alpha 1 antitrypsin promoter. B16F10 melanoma cells were stably transfected with alpha(1,3/1,4) fucosyltransferase-specific cDNA (B16F10ft), allowing them to express E-selectin ligands or with hygromycin resistance selection vector only B16F10hygro). Normal mice injected with B16F10ft and B16F10hygro and transgenic mice injected with B16F10hygro developed lung tumors exclusively. In contrast, TgnES mice injected with B16F10ft cells developed massive infiltrating liver tumors. B16F10ft cells injected into TgnEsol mice also formed liver tumors, but these grew more slowly, with a well-delineated, noninfiltrating distinct histologic pattern. These observations provide direct evidence that expression of E-selectin can redirect metastasis of tumor cells expressing appropriate ligands in vivo.

The primary structure of the human leukocyte antigen CD37, a species homologue of the rat MRC OX-44 antigen.

Comparison of NH2-terminal protein sequence from the rat OX-44 antigen with the sequence of the human CD37 antigen deduced from a cDNA clone shows that these antigens are species homologues. The CD37 sequence is 244 amino acids in length and lacks a conventional leader sequence. The molecule is likely to have an NH2-terminal cytoplasmic domain followed by three transmembrane sequences that lie within the first 110 amino acids. The rest of the molecule is hydrophillic and contains three sites for N-linked glycosylation.

The B cell antigen CD75 is a cell surface sialytransferase.

In this work we have isolated a cDNA clone encoding the B cell antigen CD75. The amino acid sequence of CD75 is shown to be identical to that of human alpha 2,6 sialyltransferase, believed to be primarily associated with the Golgi complex. This is the first demonstration of cell surface expression of sialytransferase which, in B cells, may play an important role in intercellular adhesion and antigen presentation events.

Identification of a novel inducible cell-surface ligand of CD5 on activated lymphocytes.

CD5 is a 67-kD glycoprotein that is expressed on most T lymphocytes and on a subset of mature B cells. Although its physiologic function is unknown, several lines of evidence suggest that CD5 may play a role in the regulation of T cell activation and in T cell-antigen presenting cell interactions. Using a CD5-immunoglobulin fusion protein (CD5Rg, for receptorglobulin) we have uncovered a new CD5 ligand (CD5L) expressed on the surface of activated splenocytes. Stimulation of murine splenocytes with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies induce transient expression of CD5L on B lymphocytes that lasts for approximately 72 h. Binding of CD5Rg to activated splenocytes is trypsin resistant and independent of divalent cations. However, it is pronase sensitive and dependent on N-linked glycosylation of CD5, since treatment of CD5Rg with PNGaseF on N-glycanase completely abrogates its ability to bind activated splenocytes. It addition to splenocytes, CD5L is expressed on activated murine T cell clones. Immunoprecipitation, antibody, and recombinant protein blocking studies indicate that CD5L is distinct from CD72, which has been proposed to be a CD5 ligand. To determine whether CD5-CD5L interaction might play a role in vivo, we tested the effect of CD5Rg in a murine model of antibody-mediated membranous glomerulonephritis. Injection of CD5Rg was found to abrogate development of the disease. Taken together, our results help identify a novel ligand of CD5 and propose a role for CD5 in the regulation of immune responses.

Distinct regulatory roles of lymphocyte costimulatory pathways on T helper type-2 mediated autoimmune disease.

We assessed the role of CD40-CD40L, cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)A4/CD28-B7s, and CD2-CD48/CD58 lymphocyte costimulatory pathways in the development of mercury chloride (HgCl2)-induced autoimmune disease in mice, which is believed to be mediated by T helper (Th) subset Th2. Inhibition of CD40-CD40-L and CTLA4/CD28-B7s interactions by anti-CD40-L antibody and soluble CTLA4-immunoglobulin (Ig) fusion protein, respectively, abrogated the autoimmune disease without affecting interleukin 4 (IL-4) production, showing the importance of physical contact between T and B lymphocytes in the Th2-mediated process. In contrast, two anti-CD2 antibodies that have been shown to induce immunosuppression of Th1-mediated events exacerbated the autoantibody response and augmented IgG1, IgE, and IL-4 production, transforming a mild mesangial glomerulopathy into a severe systemic immune complex disease. These observations demonstrate that manipulation of lymphocyte accessory counterreceptor interactions may affect the course of Th2-associated autoimmune disease and suggest that signals resulting from CD2 engagement play an essential role in the regulation of the Th1-Th2 effector equilibrium.

Identification of hyaluronic acid binding sites in the extracellular domain of CD44.

CD44 is a polymorphic glycoprotein expressed on the surface of many tissues and cell lines which has been implicated in a number of cellular functions including lymphocyte homing to mucosal lymphoid tissue (Peyers patches), leukocyte activation, lymphopoiesis, and tumor metastasis. The predominant isoform found on human leukocytes, CD44H, is a receptor for hyaluronic acid. Because of the prominent role CD44 plays in diverse biological processes, we set out to identify the hyaluronic acid binding site(s) in the extracellular domain of CD44H. Using truncation and site-directed mutagenesis we identified two regions containing clusters of conserved basic residues which are important in hyaluronic acid binding. One of these regions is situated near the NH2 terminus and is homologous to other hyaluronic acid binding proteins including cartilage link protein. The other more membrane proximal region lies outside the link protein homologous domain. Mutagenesis of basic residues within these regions established their role as determinants in hyaluronic acid binding. Mutation of Arg 41, a position where a basic residue is conserved in all hyaluronic acid binding proteins, completely abolished binding suggesting that this residue plays a critical role in hyaluronic acid binding.

CD44H regulates tumor cell migration on hyaluronate-coated substrate.

CD44 is a broadly distributed cell surface glycoprotein expressed in different isoforms in various tissues and cell lines. One of two recently characterized human isoforms, CD44H, is a cell surface receptor for hyaluronate, suggesting a role in the regulation of cell-cell and cell-substrate interactions as well as of cell migration. While CD44H has been shown to mediate cell adhesion, direct demonstration that CD44H expression promotes cell motility has been lacking. In this work we show that a human melanoma cell line, stably transfected with CD44H, displays enhanced motility on hyaluronate-coated surfaces while transfectants expressing an isoform that does not bind hyaluronate, CD44E, fail to do so. Migration of CD44H-expressing transfectants is observed to be blocked by a soluble CD44-immunoglobulin fusion protein as well as by anti-CD44 antibody, and to depend on the presence of the cytoplasmic domain of CD44. However, cells expressing CD44H cytoplasmic deletion mutants retain significant binding capacity to hyaluronate-coated substrate. Taken together, our results provide direct evidence that CD44H plays a major role in regulating cell migration on hyaluronate-coated substrate.

Glycosylation of CD44 is implicated in CD44-mediated cell adhesion to hyaluronan.

CD44-mediated cell adhesion to hyaluronate is controlled by mechanisms which are poorly understood. In the present work we examine the role of N-linked glycosylation and Ser-Gly motifs in regulating CD44-hyaluronate interaction. Our results show that treatment of a panel of human cell lines which constitutively express CD44 with the inhibitor of N-linked glycosylation tunicamycin results in the loss of attachment of these cells to hyaluronate-coated substrate. In contrast, treatment of the same cells with deoxymannojirimycin, which inhibits the conversion of high mannose oligosaccharides to complex N-linked carbohydrates, results in either no change or an increase in CD44-mediated adhesion to hyaluronate, suggesting that complex N-linked oligosaccharides may not be required for and may even inhibit CD44-HA interaction. Using human melanoma cells stably transfected with CD44 N-linked glycosylation site-specific mutants, we show that integrity of five potential N-linked glycosylation sites within the hyaluronate recognition domain of CD44 is critical for hyaluronate binding. Mutation of any one of these potential N-linked glycosylation sites abrogates CD44-mediated melanoma cell attachment to hyaluronate-coated surfaces, suggesting that all five sites are necessary to maintain the HA-recognition domain in the appropriate conformation. We also demonstrate that mutation of serine residues which constitute the four Ser-Gly motifs in the membrane proximal domain, and provide potential sites for glycosaminoglycan side chain attachment, impairs hyaluronate binding. Taken together, these observations indicate that changes in glycosylation of CD44 can have profound effects on its interaction with hyaluronic acid and suggest that glycosylation may provide an important regulatory mechanism of CD44 function.

Glycosylation provides both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on cell surface and soluble CD44 binding to hyaluronan.

Glycosylation has been implicated in the regulation of CD44-mediated cell binding of hyaluronan (HA). However, neither the relative contribution of N- and O-linked glycans nor the oligosaccharide structures that alter CD44 affinity for HA have been elucidated. To determine the effect of selective alteration of CD44 oligosaccharide composition on the affinity of CD44 for HA, we developed a novel strategy based on the use of affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE). Soluble recombinant CD44-immunoglobulin fusion proteins were overproduced in the mutant CHO cell line ldl-D, which has reversible defects in both N- and O-linked oligosaccharide synthesis. Using this cell line, a panel of recombinant glycosidases, and metabolic glycosidase inhibitors, CD44 glycoforms with defined oligosaccharide structures were generated and tested for HA affinity by ACE. Because ldl-D cells express endogenous cell surface CD44, the effect of any given glycosylation change on the ability of cell surface and soluble CD44 to bind HA could be compared. Four distinct oligosaccharide structures were found to effect CD44-mediated HA binding: (a) the terminal alpha2,3-linked sialic acid on N-linked oligosaccharides inhibited binding; (b) the first N-linked N-acetylglucosamine residue enhanced binding; (c) O-linked glycans on N-deglycosylated CD44 enhanced binding; and (d) N-acetylgalactosamine incorporation into non-N-linked glycans augmented HA binding by cell surface CD44. The first three structures induced up to a 30-fold alteration in the intrinsic CD44 affinity for HA (Kd = 5 to >150 microM). The fourth augmented CD44-mediated cellular HA avidity without changing the intrinsic HA affinity of soluble CD44.

Regulation of CD44 binding to hyaluronan by glycosylation of variably spliced exons.

The hyaluronan (HA)-binding function (lectin function) of the leukocyte homing receptor, CD44, is tightly regulated. Herein we address possible mechanisms that regulate CD44 isoform-specific HA binding. Binding studies with melanoma transfectants expressing CD44H, CD44E, or with soluble immunoglobulin fusions of CD44H and CD44E (CD44H-Rg, CD44E-Rg) showed that although both CD44 isoforms can bind HA, CD44H binds HA more efficiently than CD44E. Using CD44-Rg fusion proteins we show that the variably spliced exons in CD44E, V8-V10, specifically reduce the lectin function of CD44, while replacement of V8-V10 by an ICAM-1 immunoglobulin domain restores binding to a level comparable to that of CD44H. Conversely, CD44 bound HA very weakly when exons V8-V10 were replaced with a CD34 mucin domain, which is heavily modified by O-linked glycans. Production of CD44E-Rg or incubation of CD44E-expressing transfectants in the presence of an O-linked glycosylation inhibitor restored HA binding to CD44H-Rg and to cell surface CD44H levels, respectively. We conclude that differential splicing provides a regulatory mechanism for CD44 lectin function and that this effect is due in part to O-linked carbohydrate moieties which are added to the Ser/Thr rich regions encoded by the variably spliced CD44 exons. Alternative splicing resulting in changes in protein glycosylation provide a novel mechanism for the regulation of lectin activity.

CD44 isoforms containing exon V3 are responsible for the presentation of heparin-binding growth factor.

Glycosaminoglycan-modified isoforms of CD44 have been implicated in growth factor presentation at sites of inflammation. In the present study we show that COS cell transfectants expressing CD44 isoforms containing the alternatively spliced exon V3 are modified with heparan sulfate (HS). Binding studies with three HS-binding growth factors, basic-fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF), heparin binding-epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF), and amphiregulin, showed that the HS-modified CD44 isoforms are able to bind to b-FGF and HB-EGF, but not AR. b-FGF and HB-EGF binding to HS-modified CD44 was eliminated by pretreating the protein with heparitinase or by blocking with free heparin. HS-modified CD44 immunoprecipitated from keratinocytes, which express a CD44 isoform containing V3, also bound to b-FGF. We examined whether HS-modified CD44 isoforms were expressed by activated endothelial cells where they might present HS-binding growth factors to leukocytes during an inflammatory response. PCR and antibody-binding studies showed that activated cultured endothelial cells only express the CD44H isoform which does not contain any of the variably spliced exons including V3. Immunohistological studies with antibodies directed to CD44 extracellular domains encoded by the variably spliced exons showed that vascular endothelial cells in inflamed skin tissue sections do not express CD44 spliced variants. Keratinocytes, monocytes, and dendritic cells in the same specimens were found to express variably spliced CD44. 35SO4(-2)-labeling experiments demonstrated that activated cultured endothelial cells do not express detectable levels of chondroitin sulfate or HS-modified CD44. Our results suggest that one of the functions of CD44 isoforms expressing V3 is to bind and present a subset of HS-binding proteins. Furthermore, it is probable that HS-modified CD44 is involved in the presentation of HS-binding proteins by keratinocytes in inflamed skin. However, our data suggests that CD44 is not likely to be the proteoglycan principally involved in presenting HS-binding growth factors to leukocytes on the vascular cell wall.

Inhibition of the hyaluronan-CD44 interaction by merlin contributes to the tumor-suppressor activity of merlin.

Mutation or loss of expression of merlin is responsible for neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), which is characterized by the development of schwannomas and other tumors of the nervous system. Like the ERM (ezrin-radixin-moesin) proteins, merlin interacts with CD44, a cell-surface receptor for hyaluronan (HA) that promotes tumorigenesis. However, the relationship between merlin and CD44 and the mechanism by which merlin exerts its tumor-suppressor function have not been elucidated. In the present study, we show that increased expression of wild-type merlin in Tr6BC1 schwannoma cells inhibits HA binding to CD44. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the residues required for this inhibitory effect and the interaction between CD44 and merlin lie within the first 50 amino acids of merlin. Overexpression of merlin inhibited subcutaneous growth of Tr6BC1 cells in immunocompromised Rag1 mice. In contrast, knocking down expression of endogenous merlin promoted tumor cell growth, as did overexpression of a merlin deletion mutant (merlinDel-1) that lacks the first 50 amino acids but not of other NH(2)-terminal deletion mutants. Together, our results demonstrate that inhibition of the CD44-HA interaction contributes to the tumor-suppressor function of merlin, and they suggest that merlin inhibits tumor growth, at least in part, by negatively regulating CD44 function.

CD44 as a receptor for colonization of the pharynx by group A Streptococcus.

The pharynx is the primary reservoir for strains of group A STREPTOCOCCUS: (GAS) associated both with pharyngitis (streptococcal sore throat) and with invasive or "flesh-eating" soft tissue infections. We now report that CD44, a hyaluronic acid-binding protein that mediates human cell-cell- and cell-extracellular matrix-binding interactions, functions as a receptor for GAS colonization of the pharynx in vivo. We found that attachment of GAS to murine epithelial keratinocytes was mediated by binding of the GAS hyaluronic acid capsular polysaccharide to CD44. In studies of transgenic mice with a selective defect in epithelial expression of CD44, GAS adherence to CD44-deficient keratinocytes in vitro was reduced compared with adherence to keratinocytes expressing normal levels of CD44. After intranasal inoculation, GAS colonized the oropharynx of wild-type mice but failed to colonize transgenic mice deficient in CD44 expression. GAS colonization of wild-type mice could be blocked by coadministration of mAb to CD44 or by pretreatment of the animals with exogenous hyaluronic acid. These results provide evidence that CD44 serves as a receptor for GAS colonization of the pharynx and support the potential efficacy of disrupting the interaction between the GAS hyaluronic acid capsule and CD44 as a novel approach to preventing pharyngeal infection.