The Journal of Immunology, Vol 150, Issue 3 812-820, Copyright © 1993 by American Association of Immunologists

ARTICLES

Enhancement of natural killer activity by an antibody to CD44

PH Tan, EB Santos, HC Rossbach and BM Sandmaier
Transplantation Biology Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98104.

In this study, we examined the in vitro effect of an anti-CD44 mAb, S5, on NK function using canine PBMC as effectors. S5 enhanced NK activity in a dose-dependent and rapid fashion as did IM7, another anti-CD44 mAb that recognizes a common epitope(s) on CD44. Other anti-CD44 mAb (Hermes-1 and S3) that recognize epitopes distinct from S5 and IM7 had a variable effect on NK activity. The activation of increased killing by S5 only occurred when NK-sensitive targets were used, suggesting that lymphokine-activated killer cells were not being induced. Antibody- dependent cell cytotoxicity was not the mechanism involved in the augmentation of NK activity, nor was it Fc receptor-dependent, inasmuch as S5 F(ab')2 was able to increase NK activity. F(ab') fragments of S5 were equivalent to intact S5 in their ability to stimulate NK activity, demonstrating that cross-linking of CD44 was not a necessary component of stimulation, and that nonspecific agglutination of target and effector cells was not occurring via the two F(ab) arms. The enhancement of NK function was monocyte-independent and mediated by radioresistant cells, indicating that the antibody enhanced NK cells directly. This finding would suggest that CD44 can direct a transmembrane signal for NK cell activation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y.-C. Huang, S.-W. Hung, T.-R. Jan, K.-W. Liao, C.-H. Cheng, Y.-S. Wang, and R.-M. Chu CD5-low expression lymphocytes in canine peripheral blood show characteristics of natural killer cells J. Leukoc. Biol., December 1, 2008; 84(6): 1501 - 1510. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. Blass, E. Pure, and C. A. Hunter A Role for CD44 in the Production of IFN-{{gamma}} and Immunopathology During Infection with Toxoplasma gondii J. Immunol., May 1, 2001; 166(9): 5726 - 5732. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Ishiwatari-Hayasaka, T. Fujimoto, T. Osawa, T. Hirama, N. Toyama-Sorimachi, and M. Miyasaka Requirements for Signal Delivery Through CD44: Analysis Using CD44-Fas Chimeric Proteins J. Immunol., August 1, 1999; 163(3): 1258 - 1264. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Q. Rafi-Janajreh, D. Chen, R. Schmits, T. W. Mak, R. L. Grayson, D. P. Sponenberg, M. Nagarkatti, and P. S. Nagarkatti Evidence for the Involvement of CD44 in Endothelial Cell Injury and Induction of Vascular Leak Syndrome by IL-2 J. Immunol., August 1, 1999; 163(3): 1619 - 1627. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Q. Rafi, A. Zeytun, M. J. Bradley, D. P. Sponenberg, R. L. Grayson, M. Nagarkatti, and P. S. Nagarkatti Evidence for the Involvement of Fas Ligand and Perforin in the Induction of Vascular Leak Syndrome J. Immunol., September 15, 1998; 161(6): 3077 - 3086. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Ilangumaran, A. Briol, and D. C. Hoessli CD44 Selectively Associates With Active Src Family Protein Tyrosine Kinases Lck and Fyn in Glycosphingolipid-Rich Plasma Membrane Domains of Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes Blood, May 15, 1998; 91(10): 3901 - 3908. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. M. Sandmaier, R. Storb, K. L. Bennett, F. R. Appelbaum, and E. B. Santos Epitope Specificity of CD44 for Monoclonal Antibody-Dependent Facilitation of Marrow Engraftment in a Canine Model Blood, May 1, 1998; 91(9): 3494 - 3502. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Yu, K. Seidel, R. A. Nash, H. J. Deeg, B. M. Sandmaier, A. Barsoukov, E. Santos, and R. Storb Synergism Between Mycophenolate Mofetil and Cyclosporine in Preventing Graft-Versus-Host Disease Among Lethally Irradiated Dogs Given DLA-Nonidentical Unrelated Marrow Grafts Blood, April 1, 1998; 91(7): 2581 - 2587. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Rafi, M. Nagarkatti, and P. S. Nagarkatti Hyaluronate-CD44 Interactions Can Induce Murine B-Cell Activation Blood, April 15, 1997; 89(8): 2901 - 2908. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]