title: CD44 is a physiological E-selectin ligand on neutrophils.
abstract: The selectin family of adhesion molecules and their glycoconjugated ligands are essential for blood polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) extravasation into inflammatory and infectious sites. However, E-selectin ligands on PMNs are not well characterized. We show here that CD44 immunopurified from G-CSF-differentiated 32D cells or from peripheral blood PMNs binds specifically to E-selectin. In contrast, CD44 extracted from bone marrow stromal or brain endothelial cell lines does not interact with E-selectin, suggesting cell-specific posttranslational modifications of CD44. PMN-derived CD44 binding activity is mediated by sialylated, alpha(1,3) fucosylated, N-linked glycans. CD44 enables slow leukocyte rolling on E-selectin expressed on inflamed endothelium in vivo and cooperates with P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 to recruit neutrophils into thioglycollate-induced peritonitis and staphylococcal enterotoxin A-injected skin pouch. CD44 extracted from human PMNs also binds to E-selectin. Moreover, we demonstrate that CD44 is hypofucosylated in PMNs from a patient with leukocyte adhesion deficiency type II, suggesting that it contributes to the syndrome. These findings thus suggest broader roles for CD44 in the innate immune response and uncover a potential new target for diseases in which selectins play a prominent role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Center for Immunobiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
authors.forename: Jungshan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peired
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Frenette
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019040:E-Selectin; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C084882:P-selectin ligand protein