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Randall S Davis

Publications and source records attributed to Randall S Davis.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Fc receptor-like molecules.

Discovery of a large family of Fc receptor-like (FCRL) molecules, homologous to the well-known receptors for the Fc portion of immunoglobulin (FCR), has uncovered an impressive abundance of immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) genes in the human 1q21-23 chromosomal region and revealed significant diversity for these genes between humans and mice. The observation that FCRL representatives are members of an ancient multigene family that share a common ancestor with the classical FCR is underscored by their linked genomic locations, gene structure, shared extracellular domain composition, and utilization of common cytoplasmic tyrosine-based signaling elements. In contrast to the conventional FCR, however, FCRL molecules possess diverse extracellular frameworks, autonomous or dual signaling properties, and preferential B lineage expression. Most importantly, there is no strong evidence thus far to support a role for them as Ig-binding receptors. These characteristics, in addition to their identification in malignancies and autoimmune disorders, predict a fundamental role for these receptors as immunomodulatory agents in normal and subverted B lineage cells.

Animals↗

Fc receptor homolog 3 is a novel immunoregulatory marker of marginal zone and B1 B cells.

Two members of the recently identified FcR homolog (FcRH) family in mice demonstrate preferential B cell expression. One of these, FcRH3, encodes a type I transmembrane protein with five extracellular Ig domains and a cytoplasmic tail with a consensus ITIM and a noncanonical ITAM. Analysis of full-length cDNAs from five different mouse strains defines two FcRH3 alleles. A panel of FcRH3-specific mAbs was generated to define its expression pattern and functional potential on B lineage cells. Although poorly detected on the majority of bone marrow or peripheral blood cells, FcRH3 was readily identified on splenic marginal zone (MZ) and MZ precursor B cells, but not on the bulk of newly formed B cells, follicular B cells, germinal center B cells, and plasma cells. In the peritoneal cavity, FcRH3 was found on B1 cells, and not on the majority of B2 cells. Consistent with its possession of an ITIM and ITAM-like sequence, FcRH3 was tyrosine phosphorylated following pervanadate treatment, and its coligation with the BCR inhibited calcium mobilization. These results suggest FcRH3 is a novel immunoregulatory marker of MZ and B1 B lineage cells.

Alleles↗

FcRY, an Fc receptor related gene differentially expressed during B lymphocyte development and activation.

A bioinformatics approach has lead to the identification of FcRY, a new Fc receptor related gene. FcRY is predicted to encode a protein with three immunoglobulin (Ig) domains followed by a mucin-like domain containing a proline-rich stalk and a C-terminal leucine rich region. The predicted protein lacks a hydrophobic domain for insertion into the plasma membrane, suggesting that FcRY is an intracellular or secreted protein. This feature is shared with the product of the FcRX/FCRL/FREB gene that is closely linked to FcRY in both human and mouse genomes. Fcry transcripts are first detectable among mouse B lineage cells at the pre-B cell stage. Splenic B cells of the newly formed, follicular, and marginal zone subsets express Fcry, as do germinal center B cells to a lesser extent. FcRY is also expressed in subpopulations of human B cells. A consistent characteristic of FcRY in both species is low level gene expression, which can be further downregulated in normal mouse B cells by signaling through the B cell receptor (BCR) or CD40, thereby suggesting a correlation between cell cycle entrance and diminished FcRY expression. Fcry is upregulated by short-term treatment with BAFF/BLyS, which promotes B cell survival rather than proliferation. LPS induces very rapid but transient enhancement. We observed a pronounced upregulation of Fcry expression in WEHI 231 cells induced by BCR crosslinking to undergo cell cycle arrest prior to apoptosis, consistent with the possible regulation of Fcry expression by cell cycle status.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Expression of the immunoregulatory molecule FcRH4 defines a distinctive tissue-based population of memory B cells.

The FcRH4 transmembrane molecule, a member of the Fc receptor homologue family, can potently inhibit B cell receptor (BCR) signaling. We show that cell surface expression of this immunoregulatory molecule is restricted to a subpopulation of memory B cells, most of which lack the classical CD27 marker for memory B cells in humans. The FcRH4+ and FcRH4- memory B cells have undergone comparable levels of immunoglobulin isotype switching and somatic hypermutation, while neither subpopulation expresses the transcription factors involved in plasma cell differentiation. The FcRH4+ memory cells are morphologically distinctive large lymphocytes that express the CD69, CD80, and CD86 cell activation markers. They are also shown to be poised to secrete high levels of immunoglobulins in response to stimulation with T cell cytokines, but they fail to proliferate in response either to BCR ligation or Staphylococcus aureus stimulation. A heightened expression of the CCR1 and CCR5 chemokine receptors may facilitate their preferential localization in lymphoid tissues near epithelial surfaces. Cell surface FcRH4 expression thus marks a unique population of memory B cells with distinctive morphology, functional capabilities, and tissue localization.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

An extended family of Fc receptor relatives.

A surprising number of Fc receptor (FcR) relatives have been recognized recently with the potential capacity to modulate innate and adaptive immune responses. The six human FcR homologs (FcRH1-6), which belong to a phylogenetically conserved gene family, have variable numbers of extracellular immunoglobulin domains of five different subtypes. FcRH immunoregulatory potential is implicated by the presence of consensus tyrosine-based activation or inhibition motifs in their cytoplasmic tails. All but one of these new receptors, FcRH6, are expressed on B cells at different stages in differentiation. Their ligands, function, and prospective roles as diagnostic B cell markers and therapeutic targets are topics of intense interest.

Animals↗

FcRH1: an activation coreceptor on human B cells.

B-cell activation and differentiation is regulated through the coordinated function of a dynamic array of cell surface receptors. At different stages in their differentiation, human B cells may express one or more members of a large family of immunoglobulin Fc receptor homologs (FcRH) with regulatory potential. Among these newly identified transmembrane molecules, FcRH1 is unique in having 2 immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)-like motifs in its intracellular domain. Here we used the Fab fragments of new monoclonal anti-FcRH1 antibodies and mRNA analysis to evaluate FcRH1 expression and function during B-cell differentiation. FcRH1 expression begins in pre-B cells, reaches peak levels on naive B cells, and is down-regulated after B cells are activated to begin to form germinal centers. This FcRH1 down-regulation coincides with dramatic enlargement of the pre-germinal center cells, cell cycle entry, and other overt signs of activation that include CD80 and CD86 up-regulation and immunoglobulin D (IgD) down-regulation. In vitro analysis indicates that ligation of FcRH1 leads to its tyrosine phosphorylation and to modest B-cell activation and proliferation. Concomitant FcRH1 ligation enhances B-cell antigen receptor (BCR)-induced Ca(2+) mobilization and proliferation. FcRH1 thus has the potential to serve as an activating coreceptor on B cells.

Animals↗

Differential B cell expression of mouse Fc receptor homologs.

Five Fc receptor homologs (FcRH1-5) possessing inhibitory and/or activating signaling motifs are differentially expressed during B cell differentiation in humans. In this analysis we describe their three mouse orthologs, moFcRH1, moFcRH2 and moFcRH3. The moFcRH genes are located in a chromosome 3 region that is syntenic with the FcRH locus on human chromosome 1. They encode proteins with 2-5 Ig-like domains that share 20-61% extracellular identity with their human counterparts. One moFcRH1 isoform lacks a transmembrane domain as do both moFcRH2 isoforms. The other moFcRH1 isoform and two moFcRH3 isoforms have transmembrane domains and cytoplasmic ITIM and ITAM-like consensus sequences implying their inhibitory or activating signaling potential. Whereas the moFcRH1 and moFcRH3 orthologs are preferentially expressed at different stages in B cell differentiation, the structurally novel moFcRH2 gene is expressed in non-lymphoid tissues. The highly restricted pattern of moFcRH3 expression suggests this member of the phylogenetically conserved FcRH family may have an important immunoregulatory role in marginal zone B cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The inhibitory potential of Fc receptor homolog 4 on memory B cells.

Fc receptor homolog 4 (FcRH4) is a B cell-specific member of the recently identified family of FcRHs whose intracellular domain contains three potential immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs (ITIMs). The signaling potential of this receptor, shown here to be preferentially expressed by memory B cells, was compared with the inhibitory receptor FcgammaRIIb in B cells expressing either WT FcgammaRIIb or chimeric proteins in which the intracellular domain of FcRH4 was fused to the transmembrane and extracellular domains of FcgammaRIIb. Coligation of the FcgammaRIIb/FcRH4 chimeric protein with the B cell receptor (BCR) led to tyrosine phosphorylation of the two membrane-distal tyrosines and profound inhibition of BCR-mediated calcium mobilization, whole cell tyrosine phosphorylation, and mitogen-activated protein (MAP)-kinase activation. Mutational analysis of the FcRH4 cytoplasmic region indicated that the two membrane-distal ITIMs are essential for this inhibitory potential. Phosphopeptides corresponding to these ITIMs could bind the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain-containing tyrosine phosphatases SHP-1 and SHP-2, which associated with the WT FcRH4 and with mutants having inhibitory capability. These findings indicate the potential for FcRH4 to abort B cell receptor signaling by recruiting SHP-1 and SHP-2 to its two membrane distal ITIMs.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Fc receptor homologs: newest members of a remarkably diverse Fc receptor gene family.

Newfound relatives of the classical Fc receptors (FcR) have been provisionally named the Fc receptor homologs (FcRH). The recent identification of eight human and six mouse FcRH genes substantially increases the size and functional potential of the FcR family. The extended family of FcR and FcRH genes spans approximately 15 Mb of the human chromosome 1q21-23 region, whereas in mice this family is split between chromosomes 1 and 3. The FcRH genes encode molecules with variable combinations of five subtypes of immunoglobulin (Ig) domains. The presence of a conserved sequence motif in one Ig domain subtype implies Ig Fc binding capability for many FcRH family members that are preferentially expressed by B lineage cells. In addition, most FcRH family members have consensus tyrosine-based activating and inhibitory motifs in their cytoplasmic domains, while the others lack features typical of transmembrane receptors. The FcRH family members, like the classical FcRs, come in multiple isoforms and allelic variations. The unique individual and polymorphic properties of the FcR/FcRH members indicate a remarkably diverse Fc receptor gene family with immunoregulatory function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Definition of an Fc receptor-related gene (FcRX) expressed in human and mouse B cells.

The recent identification of five human Fc receptor (FcR) homologs, hFcRH1-5, has extended the known FcR family and identified an unanticipated richness of the chromosome 1q region in genes encoding potential Ig-binding proteins. In a database search for additional relatives of this family we identified expressed sequence tag representatives of a new FcR-related molecule (hFcRX) and its mouse ortholog (mFcRX). The FcRX cDNAs were cloned from human lymph node and mouse spleen cDNA libraries. hFcRX is located centromeric of FcgammaRII and FcgammaRIII at 1q23, and its mouse ortholog resides in a syntenic region of chromosome 1. The genes encode proteins with 67% interspecies identity that lack both N-linked glycosylation sites and transmembrane regions. Two of the four FcRX domains are Ig-like, and share characteristics similar to FcgammaRI domains 2 and 3, having 28% overall extracellular identity with hFcgammaRI and 27% identity with mFcgammaRI respectively. FcRX transcripts are found primarily in secondary lymphoid tissues, where they are expressed by B lineage cells. FcRX thus may function as a secreted or intracellular protein in normal and neoplastic B cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗