title: Biological role of Ep-CAM in the physical interaction between epithelial cells and lymphocytes in intestinal epithelium.
abstract: The mucosal epithelium including intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) provide a first line of defense in the gastrointestinal tract. However, limited information is currently available concerning the nature of the physical interaction molecule that interconnects IECs and IELs. Among the several monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) generated by immunizing porcine IECs, mAb (5-15-1) was shown to strongly react with IELs in addition to IECs. MALDI-TOF-MS and tandem MS analysis suggested that the antigen belongs to a family of human homophilic epithelial cell adhesion molecule (Ep-CAM). The amino acid sequence of porcine Ep-CAM showed 82.8%, 78.1%, and 76.8% homology compared to human, mouse, and rat Ep-CAM. Moreover, 5-15-1 specifically reacted with transfectant of porcine Ep-CAM. These data suggest that the Ep-CAM may act as a physical homophilic interaction molecule between IELs and IECs at the mucosal epithelium for providing immunological barrier as a first line of defense against mucosal infection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Mucosal Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nochi
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuki
authors.forename: Kazutaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Terahara
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hino
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kunisawa
authors.forename: Mi-Na
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Kweon
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiyono
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000941:Antigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019556:COS Cells; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D018076:DNA, Complementary