title: Characterization of alternatively spliced transcript variants of CLEC2D gene.
abstract: Lectin-like transcript 1 (LLT1) encoded by CLEC2D gene is a C-type lectin-like molecule interacting with human CD161 (NKR-P1A) receptor expressed by natural killer cells and subsets of T cells. Using RT-PCR and sequencing, we identified several CLEC2D alternatively spliced transcript variants generated by exon skipping. In addition to the reported transcript variants 1 (LLT1) and 2, we identified a novel splice variant 4 and transcripts coding for putative soluble proteins. CLEC2D transcripts were detected primarily in hematopoietic cell lines and were found to be co-induced by the same activation signals. Although very low amounts of putative soluble CLEC2D protein isoforms could be produced by transfectants, CLEC2D isoforms 2 and 4 were efficiently expressed. By contrast to LLT1, which was detected on the cell surface, isoform 2 and 4 remained in the endoplasmic reticulum where they formed homodimers or heterodimers with LLT1. They failed to interact with CD161, leaving LLT1 as the sole ligand for this receptor. CLEC2D therefore uses gene splicing to generate protein isoforms that are structurally distinct and that have different biological activities.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS/Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, UMR6097, Valbonne, France.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Germain
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bihl
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zahn
authors.forename: Gwenola
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poupon
authors.forename: Marie-Jeanne
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dumaurier
authors.forename: Hariniaina Henintsoa
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Rampanarivo
authors.forename: Søren Berg
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Padkjær
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spee
authors.forename: Veronique M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Braud
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C400041:CLEC2D protein, human; C527203:KLRB1 protein, human; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface