Association of CD2 and CD45 on human T lymphocytes

• Published in: Nature (London) Vol. 345; no. 6270; pp. 71 - 74
• Main Authors: Schraven, Burkhart, Samstag, Yvonne, Altevogt, Peter, Meuer, Stefan C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing 03-05-1990; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal - pharmacology; Antigens; Antigens, CD - immunology; Antigens, Differentiation - immunology; Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte - immunology; Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; CD2 Antigens; CD3 antigen; CD3 Complex; CD45 antigen; Cellular biology; Cross-Linking Reagents - pharmacology; Crosslinking; Domains; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Experiments; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Histocompatibility Antigens - immunology; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - immunology; Humans; Immunobiology; Immunoglobulins; Immunosorbent Techniques; Leukocyte Common Antigens; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes B; Lymphocytes T; Lymphoid cells: ontogeny, maturation, markers, receptors, circulation and recirculation; Molecular Weight; Molecules; Monoclonal antibodies; Organic chemistry; Peptide Fragments; Peptides; Phosphatase; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases - metabolism; Phosphoproteins - metabolism; Phosphorylation; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; Protein-tyrosine-phosphatase; Proteins; Receptors; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell - immunology; Receptors, Immunologic - immunology; Second Messenger Systems; Serine Endopeptidases; Subpopulations; Succinimides - pharmacology; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Tyrosine; Antigen; Human; Binding; Immunoprecipitation reaction; Gel electrophoresis; T-Lymphocyte; Molecular interaction; Crosslinking; Cell surface
• ISSN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/345071a0

At least two membrane receptors have been defined through which human T lymphocytes can be induced to proliferate and differentiate, namely the CD3-Ti antigen receptor complex and the CD2 molecule. Monoclonal antibodies directed at either CD2 or CD3 induce intracellular second messenger production and subsequent protein phosphorylation. On most human non-B lymphocytes, CD3-Ti and CD2 are coexpressed and seem to be functionally interrelated. But there are minor subpopulations in which these receptor systems can transduce signals despite a mutually exclusive expression, indicating that CD3-Ti and CD2 can act independently of each other. This view is supported by the finding that most monoclonal antibodies directed at the CD45 molecules are strongly co-mitogenic with CD2 but not CD3 monoclonal antibodies. As the intracytoplasmic domains of CD45 have tyrosine phosphatase activity these functional effects could be explained by a physical association between CD2 and CD45. Using chemical crosslinking techniques, we now show that CD45 is linked to CD2 on the surface of human T lymphocytes.