Human and mouse mast cells use the tetraspanin CD9 as an alternate interleukin-16 receptor.

ABSTRACT: Interleukin-16 (IL-16) induces the chemotaxis and activation of mast cells (MCs) and other cell types. While it has been concluded that CD4 is the primary IL-16 receptor on T cells, at least one other IL-16 receptor exists. We now show that the IL-16-responsive human MC line HMC-1 lacks CD4, and that the IL-16-mediated chemotactic and Ca2+ mobilization responses of this cell can be blocked by anti-CD9 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) but not by mAbs directed against CD4 or other tetraspanins. Anti-CD9 mAbs also inhibited the IL-16-mediated activation of nontransformed human cord blood-derived MCs and mouse bone marrow-derived MCs by 50% to 60%. The chemotactic response of HMC-1 cells to IL-16, as well as the binding of the cytokine to the cell's plasma membrane, was inhibited by CD9-specific a

SUBMITTER: Qi JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1895361 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature