Structural variability of CD44v molecules and reliability of immunodetection of CD44 isoforms using mAbs specific for CD44 variant exon products.

ABSTRACT: CD44 can be considered structurally and functionally one of the most variable surface molecules. Alternative splicing of variant exons as well as posttranslational modifications of the molecule (differences in glycosylation) generate a rich repertoire of CD44 isoforms (CD44v), some of which seem to play a key role in tumor growth and progression. Immunodetection of CD44 isoforms in vivo, using mAbs specific for CD44 variant exon products, is largely used to identify those CD44 molecules involved in tumor growth and progression and to interfere with CD44-mediated processes. In the present work we demonstrate that the immunoreactivity of some mAbs directed to CD44 exon-specific epitopes can be impaired by the structural variability of the molecule. Our findings demonstrate that (1) specific

SUBMITTER: Martegani MP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1853452 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature