Human CD38 ligand. A 120-KDA protein predominantly expressed on endothelial cells

Human CD38, a pleiotropic molecule with ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity, regulates activation and growth of several cell types. Its in vivo function is incompletely determined, mainly due to the lack of evidence concerning the existence of a single or multiple ligands. We recently observed that CD38 rules a selectin-type adhesion between lymphoid cells and HUVECs. A panel of murine mAbs raised against HUVEC included one (Moon-1) constantly blocking the CD38-mediated adhesion of several cell lines to HUVEC. Tissue distribution studies and an extended immunohistochemical analysis on the majority of normal human tissues revealed that the Moon-1 molecule displays a unique pattern of expression, being present at high levels on resting and activated vascular endothelium, on the majority of monocytes, platelets, NK cells, and to a lesser extent on T, B, and myeloid cells. The Moon-1 structure of an apparent molecular mass of 120 kDa proved to be a ligand for human CD38, as inferred by the direct binding observed when using a chimeric mouse CD8 alpha-human CD38 (mCD8 alpha-hCD38) molecule as a probe in Western blot experiments. Furthermore, Ab-induced modulation experiments highlighted an association between the Moon-1 molecule and human CD38 on the surface of cell lines coexpressing the two structures, which also share a common regulation system of surface expression. Finally, direct ligation of Moon-1 on T cell lines caused a relevant increase in the cytoplasmic concentration of calcium ([Ca2+]i).