CD23 molecule acts as a galactose-binding lectin in the cell aggregation of EBV-transformed human B-cell lines

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed human B-cell lines, L-KT9 and DH3 cells express CD23 antigen, and grow in a mixture of single and aggregated cells. The CD23 molecule has high amino acid sequence homology with C-type lectin and recently we have shown that the solubilized CD23 molecule can really interact with galactose residues on glycoproteins. In this study, therefore, we tested whether CD23 antigen on the cell surface really acts as a galactose-binding lectin in the aggregation of these cells. The EBV-transformed cells (L-KT9) were separated into an aggregated-cell-rich fraction and a single-cell-rich fraction. Aggregated cells disaggregated after removal of galactose by beta-galactosidase treatment, whereas single cells made large aggregation on sialidase treatment, and this aggregation was inhibited in the presence of asialo-fetuin. On the other hand, naturally aggregated cells become single cells with anti-CD23 monoclonal antibody (mAB) as well as the soluble form of CD23, but not with anti-CD21 mAB. In addition, L-KT9 and DH3 cells bound to asialo-fetuin-coupled Sepharose (ASF-Sepharose) and this binding was significantly inhibited by pre-treatment of cells with anti-CD23, but not with anti-CD21 or other anti-adhesion molecules. From these results, we conclude that the naturally aggregated state of EBV-transformed cells occurs mainly through the interaction of CD23 as a lectin molecule and galactose residues as its ligand.