Three different NCA species, CGM6/CD67, NCA-95, and NCA-90, are comprised in the major 90 to 100-kDa band of granulocyte NCA detectable upon SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Human granulocytes express several species of nonspecific cross-reacting antigens (NCA), glycoproteins belonging to the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family. Our previous studies have shown that at least two different NCA of 95 and 90 kDa are contained in the major NCA band of 90 to 100 kDa detectable upon gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitates obtained from the cell surfaces of granulocytes with polyclonal anti-NCA. In the present study, the 90 to 100-kDa NCA band was found to include one more species of 100 kDa. This component was reactive with an anti-CD67 antibody as well as polyclonal anti-NCA and released from the cell surface with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, indicating that the 100-kDa NCA species is CD67. Both antibodies revealed high binding activities with a recombinant protein of CGM6, which has been identified in a leukocyte cDNA library as an NCA gene and found to encode a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-anchored heterotypic cell adhesion molecule. Furthermore, the apparent molecular mass of the deglycosylated CD67 (38 kDa) corresponded with that of the CGM6 protein. These results suggest that CD67 is equivalent to the NCA species CGM6.     

Cloning of a complementary DNA encoding a new mouse B lymphocyte differentiation antigen, homologous to the human B1 (CD20) antigen, and localization of the gene to chromosome 19

The human B1 (CD20) molecule is a differentiation Ag found only on the surface of B lymphocytes. This structurally unique phosphoprotein plays a role in the regulation of human B cell proliferation and differentiation. In order to determine whether this structure is also expressed by murine B cells, cDNA clones that encode the mouse equivalent of the B1 molecule were isolated. The longest murine cDNA clone isolated, pmB1-1, contained a 1.4-kb insert with an 873 base pair open reading frame that encodes a protein of 32 kDa. The predicted mouse B1 protein contains three hydrophobic domains that may span the membrane four times and shares a 73% amino acid sequence homology with the human B1 protein. The pmB1-1 cDNA probe was used to examine mB1 mRNA expression. Northern blot analysis indicated that pmB1-1 hybridized with two mRNA species of 2.3 and 3.0 kb that were expressed only in murine spleen lymphocytes, in B lineage cell lines representing mature B cells, and were weakly expressed in one of two plasmacytoma cell lines. pmB1-1 failed to hybridize with RNA isolated from murine T cell lines, thymus, and nonlymphoid tissues. Southern blot analysis indicated that mB1 was encoded by a single copy gene. In situ hybridization localized the mB1 gene to chromosome 19 band B, a region that also contains the genes that encode the Ly-1, Ly-10, and Ly-12 Ag. These results suggest that only B cells express this heretofore undescribed murine cell-surface protein that is structurally homologous with the membrane-embedded human B1 Ag.     

Linkage of a gene for neural cell adhesion molecule, L1 (CamL1) to the Rsvp region of the mouse X chromosome

L1 is a glycoprotein with an apparent molecular weight of 200 kDa in the developing fetus and adult central nervous system. In the peripheral nervous system, it has a molecular weight of 230 kDa. The L1 protein appears to be encoded by a single gene that has been located on the human X chromosome by in situ hybridization. In this paper we describe restriction variation in genomic DNA Southern analysis between Mus species for the K13 cDNA probe for the L1 neural cell adhesion molecule. We have designated the locus described by this variation as cell adhesion molecule L1, CamL1. The X chromosome linkage and the relative position on the X chromosome coincident with the genes Rsvp/G6pd/Cf-8 were defined in backcross matings involving M. spretus and M. musculus.     

R1-20, a novel monoclonal antibody reacting with a molecule distinct from integrin family, induces homotypic cell aggregation.

R1-20, a novel mAb reacting with a cell surface Ag on normal human lymphocytes and leukemic cell lines, was shown to induce homotypic cell aggregation in leukemic cell lines. This phenomenon was specific to mAb R1-20 because antibodies recognizing CD2, CD7, CD28, and HLA-ABC failed to exhibit homotypic cell aggregation. Induction of aggregation by mAb R1-20 occurred at 37 degrees C, but not at 4 degrees C and required cytoskeletal integrity. Sodium azide, a metabolic inhibitor, had no effect on the aggregation. Distinct from lymphocyte function-associated Ag-1/intercellular adhesion molecule-1 interaction in which divalent cations are essential elements, R1-20-mediated aggregation was not abolished with EDTA treatment. The R1-20 Ag was determined as a molecule of M(r) 100 to 110 kDa in immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting methods, under both reducing and nonreducing conditions. The molecular composition is quite different from that of any known integrin molecule. The R1-20 Ag was expressed on resting and activated T Lymphocytes as well as on normal B lymphocytes. Monocytes and granulocytes had no detectable R1-20 Ag. Among the leukemia-derived cell lines we used, mAb R1-20 reacted with 18 of 32 T cell lines, 2 of 20 B cell lines, 2 of 3 non-T-non-B cell lines, 2 of 7 myelomonocytic cell lines, and 2 of 3 nonlymphoid-nonmyeloid cell lines. All EBV-transformed B cell lines examined (10 cell lines) were R1-20+. The spectrum of reactivity among the cell lines tested was different from that of known antiadhesion antibodies tested. All these findings indicate that the Ag recognized by mAb R1-20 may represent a new type of cell adhesion molecule.     

Molecular characterization and functional analysis of the leukocyte surface protein CD31.

The CD31 Ag is a surface glycoprotein of 130 kDa with a broad cellular distribution. We show that among peripheral human blood cells, it is expressed on monocytes, granulocytes, platelets, and a subpopulation of lymphocytes. Activation of granulocytes leads to down-regulation of CD31 molecule expression. Sequence analysis and quantitative measurements of the relatedness of the CD31 molecule to other known proteins demonstrate that it consists of six Ig constant domains and that each domain bears substantial similarity to Fc gamma R domains. We find, however, that the CD31 molecule does not bind Ig Fc domains. On human monocytes we demonstrate that CD31 mAb recognizing certain epitopes of the CD31 molecule induce the generation of reactive oxygen metabolites. No such effect was seen with human granulocytes. By using two CD31 mAb, termed 1B5 and 7E4, we analyzed the requirements for activation of the monocyte respiratory burst via CD31 Ag in more detail. We show that signal transduction occurs via formation of a CD31 Ag-mAb-Fc gamma R complex involving either Fc gamma RI (CD64) or Fc gamma RII (CDw32) molecules.     

Isolation and characterization of a novel liver-specific gene, hepassocin, upregulated during liver regeneration

By differential cDNA cloning coupled with Xenopus oocyte expression screening, we isolated a cDNA encoding a novel protein, termed 'hepassocin', the expression of which is upregulated in the regenerating rat liver. The cDNA contained a single open reading frame encoding a protein of 314 amino acids (ca. 34 kDa), including 24 amino acids of signal sequence. The protein expressed from the cDNA in Verots cells had activity to stimulate DNA synthesis in primary rat hepatocytes and was of 66 kDa or 34 kDa, under non-reducing or reducing conditions, respectively. Using an affinity column conjugated with the antibody raised against a peptide in a hydrophilic region, we purified hepassocin from the rat liver: it had a DNA synthesis-stimulating activity in hepatocytes. The hepassocin obtained here was 66 kDa, and the 34 kDa protein obtained under reducing conditions contained five cysteine residues, indicating that hepassocin is active as a homodimer. Northern blot analysis revealed that hepassocin mRNA (1.4 kb in length) occurred only in the liver, and in situ hybridization studies revealed its presence in parenchymal hepatocytes but not in endothelial cells. Furthermore, the expression of hepassocin mRNA was upregulated during compensatory hyperplasia after partial hepatectomy and regeneration after galactosamine treatment in the rat liver. These results suggest that hepassocin plays an important role in stimulating liver cell growth, through an autocrine mechanism.     

Identification of a novel 110-kilodalton structure expressed on a subset of T cell receptor-gamma delta-bearing cloned lymphocytes

A small percentage of circulating CD3+ cells express a heterodimeric gamma delta receptor. Most of these cells do not express the surface marker CD4 and only a fraction of them bear CD8 molecules. The specificity and function of TCR-gamma delta are unclear. We obtained a murine mAb produced against an IL-2-dependent human T cell clone defining a novel molecule sTA which is not expressed on resting human peripheral blood CD3+ cells but strongly expressed on a fraction of TCR-gamma delta-bearing clones. Like receptors for growth factors such as IL-2, the sTA Ag is present on clones and cell lines according on the cell cycle. SDS-PAGE analysis of sTA immunoprecipitates from 125I-labeled sTA+ clone lysate demonstrated a single band of molecular mass 110 kDa under reducing conditions. Triggering with anti-sTA mAb did not result in [Ca2+]i mobilization of sTA+ clones. Additionally, the presence of anti-sTA did not alter the cytotoxicity of these sTA+ clones neither against tumor target cells nor against specific PHA blast cells. Interestingly, due to the fact that most sTA+ clones fail to proliferate in response to CD3 triggering, it appears that sTA may serve as a useful marker to study the functional heterogeneity of TCR-gamma delta expressing cells.     

C33 antigen recognized by monoclonal antibodies inhibitory to human T cell leukemia virus type 1-induced syncytium formation is a member of a new family of transmembrane proteins including CD9, CD37, CD53, and CD63.

C33 Ag was originally identified by mAb inhibitory to syncytium formation induced by human T cell leukemia virus type 1. The Ag was shown to be a highly heterogeneous glycoprotein consisting of a 28-kDa protein and N-linked oligosaccharides ranging from 10 to 50 kDa. In the present study, cDNA clones were isolated from a human T cell cDNA expression library in Escherichia coli by using mAb C33. The identity of cDNA was verified by immunostaining and immunoprecipitation of transfected NIH3T3 cells with mAb. The cDNA contained an open reading frame of a 267-amino acid sequence which was a type III integral membrane protein of 29.6 kDa with four putative transmembrane domains and three putative N-glycosylation sites. The C33 gene was found to belong to a newly defined family of genes for membrane proteins, such as CD9, CD37, CD53, CD63, and TAPA-1, and was identical to R2, a cDNA recently isolated because of its strong up-regulation after T cell activation. Availability of mAb for C33 Ag enabled us to define its distribution in human leukocytes. C33 Ag was expressed in CD4+ T cells, CD19+ B cells, CD14+ monocytes, and CD16+ granulocytes. Its expression was low in CD8+ T cells and mostly negative in CD16+ NK cells. PHA stimulation enhanced the expression of C33 Ag in CD4+ T cells by about 5-fold and in CD8+ T cells by about 20-fold. PHA stimulation also induced the dramatic size changes in the N-linked sugars previously shown to accompany human T cell leukemia virus type 1-induced transformation of CD4+ T cells.     

The monocyte differentiation antigen, CD14, is anchored to the cell membrane by a phosphatidylinositol linkage

CD14 is a myeloid differentiation Ag expressed primarily on peripheral blood monocytes and macrophages. Although its function is unknown, the CD14 gene maps to a region encoding several myeloid growth factors and receptors. Analysis of the CD14 protein sequence deduced from the cDNA shows that although the CD14 protein contains a characteristic leader peptide, it lacks a characteristic transmembrane region, suggesting that CD14 may be anchored to the membrane via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (PI). Treatment of monocytes as well as a CD14-expressing neuroglioma cell line with PI-phospholipase C removed CD14 from the cell surface. Furthermore, monocytes from a patient with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, a disease characterized by lack of expression of other PI-linked proteins, failed to express CD14. Interestingly, the CD14-expressing neuroglioma cell line, which had been transfected with a single CD14 cDNA, released a soluble form of CD14 into the supernatant. Soluble forms of CD14 have previously been observed in serum of normal individuals and in culture supernatants of CD14+ cells. Biosynthetic experiments reveal that this soluble form of CD14 (48 kDa), which is smaller than the form released from the membrane by PI-phospholipase C (53 kDa), does not contain ethanolamine, the first constitutent of the PI-anchoring system. These studies demonstrate that CD14 is a member of the family of PI-anchored proteins and suggest that soluble forms of CD14 represent molecules that completely lack the PI-anchoring system.     

Identification and molecular cloning of tactile. A novel human T cell activation antigen that is a member of the Ig gene superfamily.

We have identified and cloned cDNA for a novel cell-surface protein that we have named Tactile for T cell activation, increased late expression. It is expressed on normal T cell lines and clones, and some transformed T cells, but no other cultured cell lines tested. It is expressed at low levels on peripheral T cells and is strongly up-regulated after activation, peaking 6 to 9 days after the activating stimulus. It is also up-regulated on NK cells activated in allogeneic cultures. It is not found on peripheral B cells but is expressed at very low levels on activated B cells. Tactile-specific mAb immunoprecipitates a band of 160 kDa when reduced and bands of 240, 180, and 160 kDa nonreduced. Using an antiserum produced with affinity-purified Tactile protein to screen a lambda gt11 library, we have identified Tactile cDNA. Northern blot analysis shows an expression pattern similar to that of the protein and transfection of COS cells with the full-length 5.2-kb cDNA results in cell-surface expression. Comparison with the sequence databanks show that Tactile is a member of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily, with similarity to Drosophila amalgam, the melanoma Ag MUC-18, members of the carcinoembryonic Ag family, the poliovirus receptor, and the neural cell adhesion molecule. The deduced primary sequence encodes a protein with three Ig domains, a long serine/threonine/proline-rich region typical of an extensively O-glycosylated domain, a transmembrane domain, and a 45 residue cytoplasmic domain. These data suggest that Tactile may be involved in adhesive interactions of activated T and NK cells during the late phase of the immune response.     

Identification of rat cell lines that preferentially express insulin-like growth factor binding proteins rlGFBP-1, 2, or 3.

The bioavailability and action of the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are determined by specific IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP) to which they are complexed. Complementary DNA clones have been isolated that encode three related IGFBPs: human IGFBP-1 (hIGFBP-1), human IGFBP-3 (hIGFBP-3), and rat IGFBP-2 (rIGFBP-2). IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 are regulated differently in human plasma, suggesting that they have different functions. In order to study the molecular basis of the regulation of the different IGFBPs, we have identified a panel of rat cell lines that express a single predominant binding protein and developed an assay strategy to distinguish the different binding proteins. Proteins in conditioned medium were examined by ligand blotting, and by immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting using antibodies to rIGFBP-2 and hIGFBP-1; RNAs were hybridized to cDNA probes for rIGFBP-2 and hIGFBP-1. 1) C6 glial cells and B104 neuroblastoma cells express an approximately 40 kilodalton (kDa) glycosylated binding protein that most likely represents rIGFBP-3, the binding subunit of the 150 kDa IGF: binding protein complex in adult rat serum. The C6 and B104 binding proteins do not react with antibodies to rIGFBP-2, and RNAs from C6 and B104 cells do not hybridize to cDNA probes for rIGFBP-2 or hIGFBP-1. 2) BRL-3A, Clone 9, and TRL 12-15 cell lines derived from normal rat liver express rIGFBP-2, a 30 kDa nonglycosylated IGF-binding protein that is recognized by antibodies to rIGFBP-2 but not by antibodies to hIGFBP-1. RNAs from these cells hybridize to a rIGFBP-2 cDNA probe, but not to a hIGFBP-1 probe. 3) H35 rat hepatoma cells express a 30 kDa nonglycosylated IGFBP that is presumptively identified as rIGFBP-1. It does not react with antibodies to rIGFBP-2, but is recognized by polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to hIGFBP-1. RNA from H35 cells hybridizes to a hIGFBP-1 cDNA probe, but not to a rIGFBP-2 probe. Expression of rIGFBP-1 by the H35 cell line has enabled us to establish and validate specific assays for this protein that allow us to study its regulation in intact rats. Identification of a panel of rat cell lines expressing specific IGFBPs should be useful in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of IGFBP regulation.     

Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 expression and signaling in human, mouse, and rat leukocytes: evidence for replacement of the short cytoplasmic domain isoform by glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked proteins in human leukocytes

Carcinoembryonic Ag-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1), the primordial carcinoembryonic Ag gene family member, is a transmembrane cell adhesion molecule expressed in leukocytes, epithelia, and blood vessel endothelia in humans and rodents. As a result of differential splicing, CEACAM1 occurs as several isoforms, the two major ones being CEACAM1-L and CEACAM1-S, that have long (L) or short (S) cytoplasmic domains, respectively. The L:S expression ratios vary in different cells and tissues. In addition to CEACAM1, human but not rodent cells express GPI-linked CEACAM members (CEACAM5-CEACAM8). We compared the expression patterns of CEACAM1-L, CEACAM1-S, CEACAM6, and CEACAM8 in purified populations of neutrophilic granulocytes, B lymphocytes, and T lymphocytes from rats, mice, and humans. Human granulocytes expressed CEACAM1, CEACAM6, and CEACAM8, whereas human B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes expressed only CEACAM1 and CEACAM6. Whereas granulocytes, B cells, and T cells from mice and rats expressed both CEACAM1-L and CEACAM1-S in ratios of 2.2-2.9:1, CEACAM1-S expression was totally lacking in human granulocytes, B cells, and T cells. Human leukocytes only expressed the L isoforms of CEACAM1. This suggests that the GPI-linked CEACAM members have functionally replaced CEACAM1-S in human leukocytes. Support for the replacement hypothesis was obtained from experiments in which the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (Erk)1/2 were activated by anti-CEACAM Abs. Thus, Abs against CEACAM1 activated Erk1/2 in rat granulocytes, but not in human granulocytes. Erk1/2 in human granulocytes could, however, be activated by Abs against CEACAM8. We demonstrated that CEACAM1 and CEACAM8 are physically associated in human granulocytes. The CEACAM1/CEACAM8 complex in human cells might accordingly play a similar role as CEACAM1-L/CEACAM1-S dimers known to occur in rat cells.     

Preferential binding of insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) to a putative alpha 2 beta 2 IGF-II receptor type in C2 myoblasts.

We have studied insulin-like-growth-factor (IGF) binding in two subclones of the C2 myogenic cell line. In the permissive parental subclone, myoblasts differentiate spontaneously into myotubes in medium supplemented with fetal calf serum. Unlike permissive myoblasts, inducible myoblasts require high concentrations of insulin (1.6 microM) or lower concentrations of IGF-I (25 nM) to differentiate, and expression of MyoD1 is not constitutive. IGF receptors were studied in microsomal membranes of proliferating and quiescent myoblasts and myotubes. IGF-II binding was also studied in inducible myoblasts transfected with the MyoD1 cDNA (clone EP5). Both inducible and permissive cells exhibited a single class of binding sites with similar affinity for IGF-I (Kd 0.8-1.2 nM). Affinity cross-linking of [125I]IGF-I to microsomal membranes, under reducing conditions, revealed a binding moiety with an apparent molecular mass of 130 kDa in permissive cells and 140 kDa in inducible cells, which corresponded to the alpha subunit of the IGF-I receptor. In permissive quiescent myoblasts, linear Scatchard plots suggested that [125I]IGF-II bound to a single class of binding sites (Kd 0.6 nM) compatible with binding to the IGF-II/M6P receptor. This was confirmed by affinity cross-linking experiments showing a labeled complex with an apparent molecular mass of 260 kDa and 220 kDa when studied under reducing and non-reducing conditions, respectively. In contrast, competitive inhibition of [125I]IGF-II binding to inducible quiescent myoblasts generated curvilinear Scatchard plots which could be resolved into two single classes of binding sites. One of them corresponded to the IGF-II/M6P receptor (Kd 0.2 nM) as evidenced by cross-linking experiments. The second was the binding site of highest affinity (Kd 0.04 nM) which was less inhibited by IGF-I than by IGF-II and was not inhibited by insulin. It migrated in SDS/PAGE at a position equivalent a molecular mass of 140 kDa, under reducing conditions, and at approximately 300 kDa, under non-reducing conditions. The labeling of this atypical binding moiety was not inhibited by anti(IGF-II/M6P-receptor) immunoglobulin. It was also observed in permissive and inducible myoblasts at proliferating stage. It was absent for permissive quiescent myoblasts and from permissive and inducible myotubes. Forced expression of MyoD1 in inducible cells (EP5 cells) dramatically reduced [125I]IGF-II binding to this atypical receptor. It emerges from these experiments that C2 cells express a putative alpha 2 beta 2 IGF-II receptor structurally related to the insulin/IGF-I receptor family. It is present in myoblasts but not in myotubes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Characterization of Mycobacterium leprae cell wall-associated proteins with the use of T lymphocyte clones

Development of a vaccine against leprosy depends on the identification of Ag that stimulate cell-mediated immune responses. We have previously demonstrated that cell wall proteins of Mycobacterium leprae are highly immunogenic. By using human cell wall-specific T cell clones we have begun to characterize soluble proteins that integrate into the cell wall skeleton. T cells from leprosy lesions were expanded with IL-2 in vitro yet retained specificity to Ag of the insoluble cell wall core (CWC) in vitro, indicating that T cells had been activated by CWC Ag in vivo. A cell wall protein-peptidoglycan complex and cell wall protein preparations lacking carbohydrates and lipids from CWC retained T cell reactivity. To identify immunogenic protein component(s) of cell wall protein, T cell lines were established to cell walls and tested against M. leprae proteins separated by SDS-PAGE and transferred to nitrocellulose. Greatest T cell reactivity was observed to proteins of Mr 7 kDa, 16 kDa, and 28 kDa. T cell clones reactive with 7-kDa and 16-kDa Ag from gels failed to respond to proteins of other Mr separated under either reducing or nonreducing conditions, indicating that these molecules are not subunits of larger proteins and may represent monomeric units polymerized into cell walls. The approaches described herein for characterization of immunodominant T cell Ag of M. leprae may be useful for study of T cell Ag in cell walls of bacterial pathogens of man.     

Protection from experimental autoimmune thyroiditis conferred by a monoclonal antibody to T cell receptor from a cytotoxic hybridoma specific for thyroglobulin.

A clonotypic mAb, AG7, has been prepared from splenocytes of CBA/J mice immunized with a cytotoxic T cell hybridoma, HTC2, specific for a pathogenic epitope of the thyroglobulin molecule in association with class I MHC Ag. AG7 binds to HTC2 cells but not to the other T cell hybridomas tested. Moreover, when used in functional studies, AG7 blocks the HTC2 capacity of specific target lysis. It also reacts with a determinant that comodulates with the CD3 Ag present on the surface of HTC2 cells. Immunoprecipitation of 125I-labeled solubilized HTC2 membranes demonstrated two bands located at 90 and 72 kDa under nonreducing conditions, which became a 46-kDa band under reducing conditions. Finally, when AG7 is injected into CBA/J mice, on day -1 before immunization with the pathogenic tryptic fragments of the thyroglobulin molecule, experimental autoimmune thyroiditis is abrogated. Thus, one of the multiple potential mechanisms of the protective immunity against EAT induced by HTC2 cells that we previously proposed, i.e., the generation of anti-clonotypic antibodies to HTC2 TCR, seems apparent.     

Interleukin-6: discovery of a pleiotropic cytokine

In the late 1960s, the essential role played by T cells in antibody production was reported. This led to our hypothesis that certain molecules would have to be released from T cells to effect the stimulation of B cells. This hypothesis was shown to be true. There were certain factors present in the culture supernatant of T cells that induced proliferation and differentiation of B cells. The factor that induced B cells to produce immunoglobulins was initially named B cell stimulatory factor-2. The cDNA encoding the human B cell stimulatory factor-2 was cloned in 1986. At the same time, IFN-beta2 and a 26 kDa protein in the fibroblasts were independently cloned and found to be identical to B cell stimulatory factor-2. Later, a hybridoma/plasmacytoma growth factor and a hepatocyte stimulating factor were also proven to be the same molecule as B cell stimulatory factor-2. Various names were used for this single molecule because of its multiple biological activities, but these have all been unified and the molecule is now known as IL-6. Since the discovery of IL-6, rapid progress has been made in our understanding of IL-6 activities, the IL-6 receptor system and the IL-6 signal transduction mechanism. More importantly, it has been shown to be involved in a number of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Castleman's disease. When taking into account all the accumulated basic research on the various aspects of this molecule, it appeared that blocking the activity of IL-6 was a feasible, new therapeutic approach for chronic inflammatory diseases.     

Ligand specificity and affinity of BT-R1, the Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1A toxin receptor from Manduca sexta, expressed in mammalian and insect cell cultures.

The Manduca sexta receptor for the Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, and Cry1Ac toxins, BT-R1, has been expressed in heterologous cell culture, and its ligand binding characteristics have been determined. When transfected with the BT-R1 cDNA, insect and mammalian cell cultures produce a binding protein of approximately 195 kDa, in contrast to natural BT-R1 from M. sexia, which has an apparent molecular weight of 210 kDa. Transfection of cultured Spodoptera frugiperda cells with the BT-R1 cDNA imparts Cry1A-specific high-affinity binding activity typical of membranes prepared from larval M. sexta midguts. Competition assays with BT-R1 prepared from larval M. sexta midguts and transiently expressed in cell culture reveal virtually identical affinities for the Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, and Cry1Ac toxins, clearly demonstrating the absolute specificity of the receptor for toxins of the lepidopteran-specific Cry1A family. BT-R1 therefore remains the only M. sexta Cry1A binding protein to be purified, cloned, and functionally expressed in heterologous cell culture, and for the first time, we are able to correlate the Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, and Cry1Ac toxin sensitivities of M. sexta to the identity and ligand binding characteristics of a single midgut receptor molecule.     

A human T cell-specific molecule is a member of a new gene family

We have used a cDNA library enriched for T cell-specific sequences to isolate genes expressed by T cells but not by other cell types. We report here one such gene, designated RANTES, which encodes a novel T cell-specific molecule. The RANTES gene product is predicted to be 10 kDa and, after cleavage of the signal peptide, approximately 8 kDa. Of the 68 residues, 4 are cysteines, and there are no sites for N-linked glycosylation. RANTES is expressed by cultured T cell lines that are Ag specific and growth factor dependent. RANTES expression is inducible in PBL by Ag or mitogen. In CTL, expression of RANTES decreases after stimulation with Ag and growth factors. Interestingly, RANTES was not expressed by any T cell tumor line tested. There is significant homology between the RANTES sequence and several other T cell genes, suggesting that they comprise a previously undescribed family of small T cell molecules.     

A monoclonal antibody that detects a novel antigen on endothelial cells that is induced by tumor necrosis factor, IL-1, or lipopolysaccharide

The alteration in the surface of endothelial cells (EC) in response to cytokines is likely to be of great importance to the regulation of cell migration and thereby to the evolution of inflammatory processes. We have generated three mAb against cytokine inducible Ag on EC. Whereas mAb 1.2B6 and 6.5B5 were found to react with ELAM-1 and ICAM-1, respectively, mAb 1.4C3 reacted with a novel molecule that showed a different pattern of expression from ELAM-1 or ICAM-1 after stimulation of EC by TNF, IL-1, or LPS. Like ELAM-1, the 1.4C3 Ag was minimally expressed on resting EC, whereas ICAM-1 was moderately expressed. After stimulation with IL-1, TNF, or LPS, ELAM-1 expression was maximal after 4 to 6 h, 1.4C3 Ag after 6 to 10 h, and ICAM-1 after 10 to 24 h. The duration of 1.4C3 expression was intermediate between ELAM-1 and ICAM-1, and was more prolonged in response to TNF than IL-1 or LPS. Whereas the expression of the three Ag showed a similar dose response to varying concentrations of IL-1 or LPS, EC required a 10-fold higher concentration of TNF for half maximal expression of ELAM-1 than for half maximal expression of 1.4C3 Ag or ICAM-1 (5 ng/ml compared to 0.5 ng/ml). Of the three Ag, only ICAM-1 was enhanced by IFN-gamma. SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions showed the 1.4C3 Ag to migrate as a single band with a relative molecular mass of approximately 95 kDa. mAb 1.4C3 adds to our understanding of the kinetics of the EC response to different cytokines and will be useful in studying the regulation of EC activation. Furthermore, the 1.4C3 molecule may have an important role in leukocyte-EC interactions.