Expression and characterization of a novel CD6 ligand in cells derived from joint and epithelial tissues

CD6 is a T cell surface glycoprotein that plays an important role in interactions of thymocytes with thymic epithelial cells and in mature T cell interactions with selected nonprofessional tissue APCs. We describe a novel CD6 ligand (CD6L) 3A11 Ag that is distinct from the known CD6L (CD166). The 3A11 protein is expressed on cells derived from human thymus, skin, synovium, and cartilage, and its expression is enhanced by IFN-gamma. mAbs directed against the 3A11 Ag and CD166 exhibit distinct patterns of binding to a panel of cell lines. Confocal microscopy shows that both CD166 and the 3A11 Ag are expressed at the cell surface, and that these proteins colocalize. The 3A11 Ag has a molecular mass of 130 kDa and is immunoprecipitated using either mAb 3A11 or soluble CD6-Ig fusion protein. mAbs directed against individual CD6L were less potent than was soluble CD6-Ig fusion protein in reducing adhesion of T cells to adherent 3A11-positive epithelial cells in vitro, suggesting that these Abs recognize epitopes on the 3A11 Ag and CD166 that are distinct from CD6 binding sites. Finally, transfection of epithelial cells with CD166-specific small interfering RNAs significantly decreased CD166 expression without alteration in 3A11 Ag levels, and thus confirmed that these two CD6L are distinct. Taken together, our data identifies a novel 130-kDa CD6L that may mediate interactions of synovial and epithelial cells with T lymphocytes.