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Expression of the mouse fragilis gene products in immune cells and association with receptor signaling complexes

Genes & Immunity volume 7, pages 113–121 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

The mouse genome possesses five genes encoding proteins homologous to human Leu-13. The Leu-13 protein associates with immune cell receptor activation complexes: a monoclonal antibody against Leu-13 induces T and B cells to form homotypic aggregates, inhibits activation-induced proliferation and induces the shedding of L-selectin. The mouse fragilis proteins have not been previously analyzed as components of the immune response. Antibody and nucleic acid reagents were generated that are specific for each of the five fragilis gene products. Expression of some of these genes (fragilis and fragilis3) is wide spread in a variety of mouse immune (and nonimmune) tissues while others (fragilis5) appear to be much more restricted. These proteins have been predicted to span the membrane twice with both amino- and carboxyl-terminal sequences extracellular: we show that a highly conserved loop of the protein between the transmembrane domains is intracellular. The fragilis proteins are associated with tetraspanin proteins CD81 and CD9: B cell activation positions fragilis into lipid rafts along with the CD81, CD19, and CD21. The mouse functional equivalent to human Leu-13 may not be single gene product, but instead may require the contribution of multiple fragilis proteins.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by NIH Grants AI-42032, AI-60618 and AI-24158 (JHW), and NIH grants AI-32223 and AR-43521 (JJW).

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  1. Department of Pathology, Division of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    R A Smith, J Young, J J Weis & J H Weis

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Correspondence to J H Weis.

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Smith, R., Young, J., Weis, J. et al. Expression of the mouse fragilis gene products in immune cells and association with receptor signaling complexes. Genes Immun 7, 113–121 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gene.6364278

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