title: CD44 triggering enhances human NK cell cytotoxic functions.
abstract: CD44, a major hyaluronate receptor, is involved in a variety of lymphocyte functions including lympho-hemopoiesis, adhesion to high endothelial venules or the extracellular matrix, and T cell activation. Here we investigated the ability of CD44 to affect the cytotoxic functions of human NK cells. Ligation of CD44 by selected mAb (J173 and F10442) resulted in a rapid, dose-response-dependent enhancement of NK cytotoxic activity against a panel of tumor target cells that varied in their sensitivity to NK killing. Neither enhanced killing against NK-resistant target cells nor CD44 mAb-mediated redirected lysis was not observed. CD44 cross-linking also was found to up-regulate CD16-mediated lysis. In an attempt to investigate the early biochemical events that occur after CD44 ligation, we found that optimal cross-linking conditions induce a rapid increase of intracellular free calcium levels, which is abrogated by extracellular Ca2+ chelation. Moreover, enhanced and more sustained Ca2+ rise resulted from CD16 and CD44 coengagement. In contrast, no inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate generation was found after optimal CD44 cross-linking. These results suggest that although CD44 is not capable of delivering a lytic signal in human NK cells, it coactivates spontaneous or CD16-mediated NK cytotoxicity. The variation in intracellular free calcium may be one of the signals that account for the costimulation of the lytic activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, La Sapienza, University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Galandrini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Maria
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piccoli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frati
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santoni
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity / Q000276:immunology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate; D002118:Calcium