title: Identification and characterization of the rat homologue of LAIR-1.
abstract: Leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor-1 (LAIR-1) is a cell-surface molecule that functions as an inhibitory receptor on various immune cells in both humans and mice. We have cloned a LAIR-1 homologue from the rat that we have named rat LAIR-1. The LAIR-1 gene maps to rat chromosome 1q12 in a region showing conserved synteny with human chromosome 19q13.4 and mouse chromosome 7, where the leukocyte receptor cluster is located. Rat LAIR-1 shows 40 and 71% protein sequence identity with human LAIR-1 and mouse LAIR-1, respectively, has a single Ig-like domain and contains two immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif-like sequences in its cytoplasmic tail. Soluble rat LAIR-1 fusion proteins bind to the same adherent cell lines as human LAIR-1 and mouse LAIR-1, indicating that a putative ligand for all the LAIR-1 molecules is expressed on these cells. Furthermore, we show that rat and mouse LAIR-1 bind the same molecule expressed on human HT29 cells. Since many autoimmune diseases are studied in rat models, identification of rat LAIR-1 allows for in vivo studies on the function of LAIR molecules in these systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Rm KC02.085.2, Lundlaan 6, 3584 EA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robert Jan
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lebbink
authors.forename: Talitha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: de Ruiter
authors.forename: Guido J A
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Kaptijn
authors.forename: Linde
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meyaard
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051381:Rats; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; C108073:leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor 1