Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “CD44”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 667 records · Page 37Linked to original sources

RANTES (CCL5) induces a CCR5-dependent accelerated shedding of syndecan-1 (CD138) and syndecan-4 from HeLa cells and forms complexes with the shed ectodomains of these proteoglycans as well as with those of CD44.

We recently demonstrated that RANTES forms complexes with CCR5, syndecan-1 (SD-1), SD-4, and CD44 expressed by human primary macrophages and that SD-1 and SD-4 but neither CD44 nor SD-2 coimmunoprecipitate with CCR5. Here we show that RANTES directly binds in a glycosaminoglycan-dependent manner to SD-1, SD-4, and CD44. Moreover, RANTES accelerates the shedding of SD-1 and SD-4 ectodomains from HeLa cells expressing CCR5 and, by contrast, has no effect on the constitutive shedding of CD44 from these cells. These accelerated sheddings are prevented by the MEK1/2 inhibitor, U0126, and by the protein kinase C inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide I. This indicates that both MAP kinase--and protein kinase C-dependent signaling pathways are involved in these RANTES-induced accelerated sheddings. RANTES also induces a decreased expression of SD-1 and SD-4 by HeLa cells expressing CCR5 and on the contrary an increased expression of CD44 by these cells. By contrast, RANTES neither accelerates the shedding of SD-1 and SD-4 ectodomains from HeLa cells lacking CCR5, nor changes the SD-1-, SD-4-, and CD44-plasma membrane expressions of these cells. CCR5 is therefore involved in the RANTES-induced accelerated shedding of SD-1 and SD-4 ectodomains. Nevertheless, the fact that RANTES stimulates in Hela cells (expressing or lacking CCR5) the mRNA synthesis of SD-1 and SD-4 indicates that the molecular events that follow the synthesis of these proteoglycans differ, according to the presence or not of CCR5. Finally, RANTES forms GAG-dependent complexes with the shed ectodomains of SD-1 and SD-4 as well as with those of CD44. The role of these events in the pathophysiology of RANTES deserves further study.

Chemokine CCL5↗

CD44 cross-linking induces protein kinase C-regulated migration of human T lymphocytes.

The cell surface receptor CD44 is widely implicated in leukocyte migration to inflammatory sites. In this study, the responses of human T cells following cross-linking of CD44 were examined. We demonstrate that engagement of CD44 using immobilized mAbs or hyaluronan-enriched extracellular matrix lattices induces active migration in T lymphocytes accompanied by cycles of cytoskeletal rearrangement and cell polarization. We have investigated the functional impact and subcellular localization of protein kinase C (PKC) isoenzymes, beta and delta, previously shown by our group to be involved in active T cell locomotion induced by leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) integrin receptors. PKCbeta was associated with the centrosome and the microtubule-rich tail of the polarized cell and PKCdelta was predominantly located about the region of the microtubule organizing center. A selective pharmacological inhibitor of classical PKC isoforms, Go6976, suppressed lymphocyte polarization and migration following CD44 ligation. Selective targeting of PKCdelta using the pharmacological inhibitor rottlerin or a pseudosubstrate-blocking peptide reduced CD44-activated cell migration but did not completely ablate it. Our data demonstrate that ligation of CD44 induces phenotypic changes, cytoskeletal rearrangements and redistribution of PKC isoforms beta and delta, resulting in cell migration, as previously described for the cell surface receptor, LFA-1. This suggests potential convergence of intracellular signaling pathways induced via CD44 and LFA-1 integrin.

Cell Movement↗

Engagement of CD44 modulates cyclooxygenase induction, VEGF generation, and proliferation in human vascular endothelial cells.

CD44 is a receptor for hyaluronic acid and is found on the surface of hematopoetic cells and in mesenchymal tissue. It is also expressed on endothelial cells (EC). Cyclooxygenase (COX) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the production of prostaglandins in EC. Here we show that engagement of CD44 with signaling monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) or its natural ligand hyaluronic acid induces COX-2 and prostacyclin (PGI2) formation in human EC. This induction was blocked by mAbs that have been shown to inhibit CD44-mediated intracellular signaling. COX-1 induction was not observed after CD44 ligation. CD44-stimulated COX-2 activation/PGI2 production was accompanied by the production of the potent endothelial mitogen, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and was inhibited by a neutralizing VEGF antibody. Moreover, this COX-2 induction was also associated with an increase in EC proliferation that was inhibited by the blocking anti-CD44 mAbs and a COX-2-specific inhibitor. This is the first study to show that engagement of CD44 with mAbs or its natural ligand induces COX-2, generates VEGF, and thus leads to an increase in EC proliferation. Results from this study may have important and widespread implications for the development of novel therapeutic agents for modulating blood vessel growth during ischemic heart disease, during inflammation, or around solid tumors.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗

CD44 expression in human astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in culture.

CD44 is a glycoprotein present on the surface of some lymphocyte cell populations and other non-lymphoid cells, and is involved in many functions related to cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. In this study, expression of CD44 antigen in primary neural cell cultures derived from fetal and adult human brains was investigated. In cultures processed for double immunofluorescence staining, approximately 80% of fetal astrocytes and more than 95% of adult astrocytes expressed the CD44 antigen on the cell bodies and processes; CD44 was also detected in 50-60% of adult oligodendrocytes. Neurons in fetal brain cell cultures did not express CD44 at all. Western blot analysis performed in astrocyte- and in neuron-enriched cultures confirmed the results from immunostaining and showed that the antibody against CD44 reacted with a polypeptide, of approximately 80 kD, that is present exclusively in the astrocyte-enriched cultures, but absent in neuron-enriched cultures. Our results indicate that CD44 glycoprotein is constitutively expressed in the human cells of glial cell lineage and its role is likely to be associated with normal neuroglia-mediated adhesion/recognition processes.

Aging↗

CD44-hyaluronate interaction mediates in vitro lymphocyte binding to the white matter of the central nervous system.

The cell adhesion molecule CD44 is expressed in the central nervous system, especially on glial cells in the white matter, the extracellular matrix of which also contains one of its ligands, hyaluronate. We investigated the role of CD44 and hyaluronate in the adhesion of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to myelinated areas of cerebellum by an in vitro binding assay. Hermes-1 epitope, which recognizes the hyaluronate binding site of CD44, and Hermes-3 epitope, involved in lymphocyte binding to mucosal high endothelial venules, were both immunohistochemically expressed in the white matter. No immunoreactivity was observed with mAb Var3.1, which sees variant forms of CD44 containing the exon v6 encoding region. The molecular weight analysis showed that CD44 of the white matter was identical to the major 90 kD form of CD44 present on lymphocytes. The binding of both T and B lymphocytes was significantly inhibited by pretreatment of both cells and sections with mAb Hermes-1 but not with Hermes-3. Digestion of the sections and/or lymphocytes with hyaluronidase also reduced lymphocyte binding. These findings implicate that CD44-hyaluronate mediates lymphocyte adhesion to the white matter and this interaction may be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammations and lymphomas of the central nervous system.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

CD44s adhesive function spontaneous and PMA-inducible CD44 cleavage are regulated at post-translational level in cells of melanocytic lineage.

Adhesion between the CD44s receptor and hyaluronic acid plays an important role in cell migration, tumour growth and progression. Although the alternative splicing of CD44 variant exons represents the principal regulatory mechanism of CD44-mediated functions, CD44v spliced variants are scantily expressed in melanoma cells. For this reason, we have investigated the possibility that post-translational modifications of the CD44 standard receptor could play a pivotal role in regulating CD44-mediated functions in melanoma. Using metabolic inhibitors of N- and O-glycosylation, as well as melanoma transfectants expressing CD44s O-glycosylation site-specific mutants, we performed structural and functional analysis of N- and O-deglycosylated CD44s molecules expressed in melanoma cells. We discovered that complete N- and O-glycosylation is not required by CD44s to be correctly expressed on the melanoma cell surface. Indeed, variably glycosylated and functionally different CD44s molecules were constitutively expressed in primary and metastatic lesions. Furthermore, we observed that changes in N- and O-glycosylation of CD44s could modulate its cleavage. In fact, spontaneous CD44s shedding was dependent on the presence of partial or complete O-glycosylation of four serine-glycine motifs localized in the membrane-proximal CD44 ectodomain. Mutation of these serine residues, as well as an extensive metabolic O-deglycosylation, strongly impaired spontaneous CD44 shedding. Furthermore, an O-glycosylation-independent mechanism of CD44 cleavage has been identified. This alternative mechanism of receptor cleavage is phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) inducible, mediated by metalloproteinase and requires the presence of N-linked sugar residues. Our findings demonstrate that the post-translational modification of CD44s represents the principal regulatory mechanism of CD44s-mediated functions in melanoma.

Antimetabolites↗

CD44 associates with EGFR and erbB2 in metastasizing mammary carcinoma cells.

Type I receptor tyrosine kinases, including the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and erbB2, have been implicated in mammary carcinoma growth and metastasis. Recent evidence suggests that type I receptor signaling may be mediated by the CD44 family of transmembrane glycoproteins that also have been implicated in mammary tumor progression. Here, the authors tested whether CD44, EGFR, and erbB2 interacted and colocalized with one another in four mammary carcinoma cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-435, and MDA-MB-436) and in cytology samples obtained from patients with metastatic breast cancer. CD44 constitutively colocalized and coimmunoprecipitated with erbB2 and EGFR in all four mammary carcinoma cell lines. CD44 also colocalized with erbB2 and EGFR in all cytology samples expressing erbB2. CD44 colocalized with EGFR in cells from only 1 of 16 erbB2-negative cytology samples. These data indicate that CD44-EGFR-erbB2 protein complexes occur in a high proportion of metastatic mammary carcinomas and suggest that CD44-type I receptor colocalization may be a novel prognostic marker for aggressive mammary cancers.

Blotting, Western↗

Up-regulation of CD44 expression by tumor necrosis factor-alpha is neutralized by interleukin-10 in Langerhans cells.

CD44 is a principal cell-surface receptor for hyaluronate and is found on a wide variety of cells. CD44 plays an important role in lymphocyte homing, lymphohemopoiesis, and T-cell activation as well as in cell motility and migration. CD44 is expressed on the cell surface of epidermal Langerhans cells (LC), and is one of the candidates for molecules that are involved in the migratory capability of LC, but little is known about its regulatory properties. We examined the modulatory effects of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-10 on the CD44 expression in LC. We found 1) that TNF-alpha significantly up-regulated the expression of CD44 in a concentration-dependent manner, 2) that IL-10 down-regulated the expression of CD44 in a concentration-dependent manner, 3) that the effect of TNF-alpha or IL-10 was readily detectable as early as 24 h after the initiation of culture, and 4) that the simultaneous addition of TNF-alpha and IL-10 mutually neutralized the effect of each other. These data suggest that in the epidermal microenvironment the expression of CD44 in LC may be reciprocally regulated by TNF-alpha and IL-10, both of which are known to be produced by surrounding keratinocytes.

Animals↗

Molecular cloning of rat NK target structure--the possibility of CD44 involvement in NK cell-mediated lysis.

The nature of target molecules of natural killer (NK) cell-mediated lysis remains to be elucidated. As we previously reported, mAb 109 recognizes one of the tumor-associated antigens, designated as 109 antigen (Ag), expressed on the cell surface of rat fibrosarcomas W31 and W14, which are transformants of WFB (rat fetal fibroblast cell line) with H-ras oncogene. 109Ag was thought to be a target structure of NK cells since mAb 109 inhibited NK cell-mediated lysis against W31 and W14. Here, we demonstrate by molecular cloning that 109Ag is identical to rat CD44. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting studies also showed that mAb 109 and anti-rat CD44 mAb OX-50 recognize the same protein of W31 cell lysates with an 86 kDa molecular size. CD44 was suggested to be a target structure of NK cell-mediated lysis; however, rat CD44 cDNA transfection alone into CD44 null cell lines did not result in up-regulation of target cell susceptibility to NK cell-mediated lysis. Our results therefore indicated that CD44 may play a crucial role as one of the target structures in our rat fibrosarcoma system though the cell surface expression of CD44 alone does not affect NK susceptibility of the target cells.

Animals↗

Expression of CD44 variant exons 8-10 in colorectal cancer and its relationship to metastasis.

Splice variants of CD44 are overexpressed in human lung, breast, and colon carcinoma cell lines. This study was conducted to clarify the association between the expression of CD44 variant exons 8-10 and metastatic potential in human colorectal cancer. We found that the expression of a CD44 splice variant containing exons v8-10 was increased in all of 60 colorectal cancer specimens examined compared with matched normal colerectal mucosa, as determined by Northern blotting. Expression of CD44 variant exons 8-10 did not significantly correlate with histological type, depth of tumor invasion, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, or lymph node metastasis. However, the level of CD44 variant exon 8-10 expression was significantly higher in carcinomas associated with liver metastasis than in those without liver metastasis. In addition, expression of CD44 variant exons 8-10 in the liver metastases was more intense than that in the primary colorectal cancers. These findings indicated that this domain of the CD44 glycoprotein encoded by exons v8-10 may play an important role in tumor hematogenous metastasis of human colorectal cancer.

Blotting, Northern↗

Silencing of the CD44 gene by CpG methylation in a human gastric carcinoma cell line.

We analyzed 8 human gastric carcinoma cell lines for the expression of CD44 by northern blot analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and identified 1 cell line MKN-28 that did not express CD44. In an attempt to clarify the mechanism responsible for the inactivation of CD44 gene expression in this cell line, we investigated the methylation status around the promoter region of CD44 gene by digestion of the DNA with the methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme HpaII. The promoter region of CD44 in MKN-28 revealed hypermethylation, whereas other CD44-positive cell lines did not. Furthermore, treatment of MKN-28 with the demethylating agent 5-azacytidine restored the expression of the gene. These results suggest that CD44 expression is controlled by a DNA hypermethylation mechanism in MKN-28.

DNA Methylation↗

Mechanism and biological significance of CD44 cleavage.

There are multiple steps in the metastasis of cancer cells. Tumor cells must first detach from the tumor mass and invade the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM). In this step, cell surface adhesion molecules play an important role in the interaction between the cells and their microenvironments. CD44 is an adhesion molecule that interacts with hyaluronic acid (HA) and is implicated in a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes. Recently, proteolytic cleavages of CD44 have been emerging as key regulatory events for the CD44 dependent cell-matrix interaction and signaling pathway. CD44 undergoes sequential proteolytic cleavages in the ectodomain and intramembranous domain, resulting in the release of a CD44 intracellular domain (ICD) fragment. The ectodomain cleavage of CD44 is triggered by multiple stimulations and contributes to the regulation of cell attachment to and migration on HA matrix. The ectodomain cleavage subsequently induces the intramembranous cleavage, which is mediated by presenilin (PS)-dependent gamma -secretase. The intramembranous cleavage generates CD44ICD, which acts as a signal transduction molecule; it is translocated to the nucleus and activates transcription. An understanding of the underlying mechanism of these cleavages of CD44 could provide novel therapeutic targets for cancer cell invasion and metastasis.

Animals↗

CD44 expression in normal and inflamed skin.

CD44 is the principal cell surface receptor for hyaluronate. In non-inflamed skin, CD44 expression is limited to the cell membrane of eccrine coil cells. The distribution on these cells is asymmetric, with intense staining on the dermal side and little staining on the luminal side of the coil cell. In skin containing a pathologic process, either inflammatory or neoplastic, CD44 expression can be widespread on the membranes of keratinocytes and on infiltrating lymphocytes in the vicinity of the process. Diverse roles have been proposed for CD44 and largely involve aspects of cellular adhesion in one setting or another. CD44 may identify a more mobile, proliferating keratinocyte that is responding to local injury. In eccrine coil, the stable presence of CD44 on the non-luminal surface of secretory cells indicates an undefined function for CD44 in the generation of eccrine sweat.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Expression of integrin subunits and CD44 isoforms in psoriatic skin and effects of topical calcitriol application.

Increasing evidence suggests involvement of integrins and CD44 isoforms in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, contributing to uncontrolled keratinocyte proliferation, neovascularization, and invasion of inflammatory cells. We have analyzed immunohistochemically in situ expression of integrins (CD29, CDw49b, CDw49c, CDw49e, CDw49f) and CD44 isoforms (CD44 standard, CD44 var/v6, CD44 v10) on frozen sections of normal and psoriatic skin (nonlesional skin, lesional skin before and along with topical calcitriol treatment). We did not observe visual changes of immunoreactivity in normal as compared to nonlesional psoriatic skin, while the staining pattern of CDw49c, CDw49f, and CD29 was severely altered in untreated lesional psoriatic skin. Most markedly, CDw49c, CDw49f, and CD29 were focally upregulated in suprapapillar epidermal compartments of lesional psoriatic skin, a staining pattern that is in accordance with the phenomenon that was described by Pinkus as "squirting papilla". Additionally, an increased proportion of inflammatory and endothelial cells revealed immunoreactivity for CD44(std.) in untreated lesional psoriatic as compared to nonlesional psoriatic or normal skin. After 8 weeks of topical calcitriol treatment (15 micrograms/g ointment), the staining pattern for CDw49c, CDw49f and CD29 was markedly changed in epidermis of lesional psoriatic skin, reverting to the staining pattern characteristic for the nonlesional psoriatic or normal human skin, although epidermal expression of CDw49f was still upregulated and CDw49e-, CDw49f-, CD29-, and CD44(std.)-immunoreactive inflammatory and endothelial cells were still to be found in the dermal compartment.

Administration, Topical↗

Role of EGR1 in regulation of stimulus-dependent CD44 transcription in B lymphocytes.

The immediate-early gene egr-1 encodes a transcription factor (EGR1) that links B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) signals to downstream activation events through the regulation of previously unidentified target genes. Here we identify the gene encoding the lymphocyte homing and migration protein CD44 as a target of EGR1 regulation in B cells. BCR-induced increases in CD44 mRNA expression and transcription levels are shown to occur in EGR1-expressing but not in nonexpressing subclones of the B-cell line WEHI-231. Kinetics of egr-1 transcription and the appearance of nuclear EGR1 protein precede CD44 induction and occur within 30 min after stimulation in the EGR1-expressing subclone. A single EGR1 binding motif is demonstrated at bp -301 of the human CD44 promoter. Cotransfection of a CD44 promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter construct with an egr-1 expression vector resulted in a 6.5- to 8.5-fold induction of transcriptional activity relative to an empty expression vector. The EGR1 binding motif was shown to be necessary for stimulus-induced expression of a CD44 promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter construct in nontransformed B lymphocytes and was required for transactivation by an EGR1 expression vector in a B-cell line. These studies identify EGR1 as an intermediary linking BCR-derived signals to the induction of CD44. The relevance of these molecular events to BCR signal transduction and antigen-stimulated B-cell-mediated immune responses is discussed.

Animals↗

Regulation of CD44 alternative splicing by SRm160 and its potential role in tumor cell invasion.

The multiple isoforms of the transmembrane glycoprotein CD44 are produced by alternative RNA splicing. Expression of CD44 isoforms containing variable 5 exon (v5) correlates with enhanced malignancy and invasiveness of some tumors. Here we demonstrate that SRm160, a splicing coactivator, regulates CD44 alternative splicing in a Ras-dependent manner. Overexpression of SRm160 stimulates inclusion of CD44 v5 when Ras is activated. Conversely, small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of SRm160 significantly reduces v5 inclusion. Immunoprecipitation shows association of SRm160 with Sam68, a protein that also stimulates v5 inclusion in a Ras-dependent manner, suggesting that these two proteins interact to regulate CD44 splicing. Importantly, siRNA-mediated depletion of CD44 v5 decreases tumor cell invasion. Reduction of SRm160 by siRNA transfection downregulates the endogenous levels of CD44 isoforms, including v5, and correlates with a decrease in tumor cell invasiveness.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Expression of the CD44 receptor in the blood vessel system: an experimental study in rat.

The CD44 receptor is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on a variety of cells like endothelial, epithelial and smooth muscle cells. This molecule has many important functions, e.g. in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and signal transduction. The main ligand for CD44 is hyaluronan (HYA). HYA is a glycosaminoglycan with structural and cell biological properties. The localization of HYA in the vessel wall of arteries and veins in the healthy adult and newborn rat has been described earlier. In this study the occurrence of the CD44 receptor was investigated in the same vessels and compared to the localization of HYA. Both CD44 and its ligand showed an increased expression in the vessel wall of newborn rats compared to that of adult rats. Although HYA is abundant in the adventitia of adult rats, virtually no expression of CD44 was observed. Our results indicate that the CD44 receptor expression is increased during the stage of maturation of the vessel tree whereas the CD44 receptor is less needed by HYA in the healthy vessel wall.

Aging↗

Adhesion molecule CD44 expression in non-tumor epithelium adjacent to laryngeal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Studies of adjacent non-tumor epithelia (ANTE) of laryngeal cancer have presented contradictory results regarding the expression of the adhesion molecule CD44 and its role as an early event and risk marker for progression to cancer. METHODS: An immunohistochemical study was performed on changes in CD44 expression in the ANTE and tumor tissue of 112 cases of laryngeal cancer, using the anti-CD44 monoclonal antibody DF1485. The aim was to evaluate the importance of these changes as an early event in laryngeal carcinogenesis. RESULTS: The ANTE were histologically hyperplastic in 107 cases (95.5%) and presented epithelial dysplasia in 105 cases (93.7%). A significant association between tumor and epithelial CD44 expression was observed in both hyperplastic (p < 0.001) and dysplastic (p < 0.001) ANTE. There was no significant association between ANTE CD44 expression and clinical or histopathological relevant data. CONCLUSIONS: Loss of CD44 expression in ANTE can be considered an early event in laryngeal carcinogenesis and a marker of major alterations in CD44 expression in the derived tumor tissue.

Adult↗