CD44-stimulated human B cells express transcripts specifically involved in immunomodulation and inflammation as analyzed by DNA microarrays

Summary, in English

A number of studies have implicated a role for the cell surface glycoprotein CD44 in several biologic events, such as lymphopoiesis, homing, lymphocyte activation, and apoptosis. We have earlier reported that signaling via CD44 on naive B cells in addition to B-cell receptor (BCR) and CD40 engagement generated a germinal center-like phenotype. To further characterize the global role of CD44 in B differentiation, we examined the expression profile of human B cells cultured in vitro in the presence or absence of CD44 ligation, together with anti-immunoglobulin (anti-Ig) and anti-CD40 antibodies. The data sets derived from DNA microarrays were analyzed using a novel statistical analysis scheme created to retrieve the most likely expression pattern of CD44 ligation. Our results show that genes such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1alpha , and beta 2-adrenergic receptor (beta 2-AR) were specifically up-regulated by CD44 ligation, suggesting a novel role for CD44 in immunoregulation and inflammation.

• Author: Carl-Magnus Högerkorp; Sven Bilke; Thomas Breslin; Sigurdur Ingvarsson; Carl Borrebaeck
• Department/s: Department of Immunotechnology; Computational Biology and Biological Physics - Has been reorganised
• Publishing year: 2003
• Language: English
• Pages: 2307-2313
• Publication/Series: Blood
• Volume: 101
• Issue: 6
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2002-06-1837
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: American Society of Hematology
• Topic: Hematology
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 1528-0020