title: Mouse CD146/MCAM is a marker of natural killer cell maturation.
abstract: CD146/melanoma cell adhesion molecule is an adhesion molecule expressed by endothelial cells and by a small fraction of activated T and B lymphocytes in humans. In order to analyze the pattern of CD146 expression in mouse leukocytes at steady-state conditions, we generated a set of novel rat anti-mouse CD146 monoclonal antibodies. CD146 expression was undetectable on monocytes, dendritic cells, T cells or B cells, but was expressed on about 30% of neutrophils and 60% of NK cells. Within murine lymphocytes, CD146 was defined as a novel NK-specific surface molecule. An increased percentage of CD146+ cells was found in the most mature CD27(-)CD11b+ NK cell subpopulation, which also displays higher expression of Ly49C/I, Ly49D and KLRG1 and lower expression of NKG2A/C/E molecules. CD146+ NK cells were found to be less cytotoxic and produce less IFN-gamma than CD146(-) NK cells upon stimulation with target cells or activating antibodies. These findings define CD146 as a marker of mouse NK cell maturation that may be used as an alternative to the combined use of CD27 and CD11b staining to detect final stages of NK cell maturation.
authors.affiliation: UMR-S608, INSERM-Université de la Méditerranée, Faculté de Pharmacie, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Despoix
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walzer
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jouve
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blot-Chabaud
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bardin
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lyonnet
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vivier
authors.forename: Francoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dignat-George
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vély
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D051929:CD146 Antigen / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D055650:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily A / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015415:Biomarkers; D051929:CD146 Antigen; C497903:Mcam protein, mouse; D055650:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily A; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C069261:interferon gamma (1-39); D007371:Interferon-gamma