S. K. Alex Law

A novel leukocyte adhesion deficiency caused by expressed but nonfunctional β2 integrins Mac-1 and LFA-1

In the leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD)-1 syndrome, there is diminished expression of beta2(CD18) integrins. This is caused by lesions in the beta2-subunit gene and gives rise to recurrent bacterial infections, impaired pus formation, and poor wound healing. We describe a patient with clinical features compatible with a moderately severe phenotype of LAD-1 but who expresses the beta2 integrins lymphocyte function- associated molecule (LFA)-1 and Mac-1 at 40%-60% of normal levels. This level of expression should be adequate for normal integrin function, but both the patients Mac-1 on neutrophils and LFA-1 on T cells failed to bind ligands such as fibrinogen and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, respectively, or to display a beta2-integrin activation epitope after adhesion-inducing stimuli. Unexpectedly, divalent cation treatment induced the patients T cells to bind to ICAM-2 and ICAM-3. Sequencing of the patients two CD18 alleles revealed the mutations S138P and G273R. Both mutations are in the beta2-subunit conserved domain, with S138P a putative divalent cation coordinating residue in the metal ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS) motif. After K562 cell transfection with alpha subunits, the mutated S138P beta subunit was coexpressed but did not support function, whereas the G273R mutant was not expressed. In summary, the patient described here exhibits failure of the beta2 integrins to function despite adequate levels of cell-surface expression.

Effect of Integrin β2 Subunit Truncations on LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18) and Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) Assembly, Surface Expression, and Function

LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18) and Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) are members of the β2 integrins involved in leukocyte function during immune and inflammatory responses. We aimed to determine a minimized β2 subunit that forms functional LFA-1 and Mac-1. Using a series of truncated β2 variants, we showed that the subregion Q23-D300 of the β2 subunit is sufficient to combine with the αL and αM subunits intracellularly. However, only the β2 variants terminating after Q444 promote cell surface expression of LFA-1 and Mac-1. Thus, the major cysteine-rich region and the three highly conserved cysteine residues at positions 445, 447, and 449 of the β2 subunit are not required for LFA-1 and Mac-1 surface expression. The surface-expressed LFA-1 variants are constitutively active with respect to ICAM-1 adhesion and these variants express the activation reporter epitope of the mAb 24. In contrast, surface-expressed Mac-1, both the wild type and variants, require 0.5 mM MnCl2 for adhesion to denatured BSA. These results suggest that the role of the β2 subunit in LFA-1- and Mac-1-mediated adhesion may be different.

Epitope Mapping of Monoclonal Antibody to Integrin αL β2 Hybrid Domain Suggests Different Requirements of Affinity States for Intercellular Adhesion Molecules (ICAM)-1 and ICAM-3 Binding

Integrin undergoes different activation states by changing its quaternary conformation. The integrin β hybrid domain acts as a lever for the transmission of activation signal. The displacement of the hybrid domain can serve to report different integrin activation states. The monoclonal antibody (mAb) MEM148 is a reporter antibody that recognizes Mg/EGTA-activated but not resting integrin αL β2. Herein, we mapped its epitope to the critical residue Pro374 located on the inner face of the β2 hybrid domain. Integrin αL β2 binds to its ligands ICAM-1 and ICAM-3 with different affinities. Integrin is proposed to have at least three affinity states, and the position of the hybrid domain differs in each. We made use of the property of mAb MEM148 to analyze and correlate these affinity states in regard to αL β2/intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) binding. Our study showed that Mg/EGTA-activated αLβ2 can adopt a different conformation from that activated by activating mAbs KIM185 or MEM48. Unlike ICAM-1 binding, which required only one activating agent, αL β2/ICAM-3 binding required both Mg/EGTA and an activating mAb. This suggests that αLβ2 with intermediate affinity is sufficient to bind ICAM-1 but not ICAM-3, which requires a high affinity state. Furthermore, we showed that the conformation adopted by αLβ2 in the presence of Mg/EGTA, depicting an intermediate activation state, could be reverted to its resting conformation.

The crystal structure of the plexin-semaphorin-integrin domain/ hybrid domain/I-EGF1 segment from the human integrin β2 subunit at 1.8-Å resolution

Integrins are modular (αβ) heterodimeric proteins that mediate cell adhesion and convey signals across the plasma membrane. Interdomain motions play a key role in signal transduction by propagating structural changes through the molecule, thus controlling the activation state and adhesive properties of the integrin. We expressed a soluble fragment of the human integrin β2 subunit comprising the plexin-semaphorin-integrin domain (PSI)/hybrid domain/I-EGF1 fragment and present its crystal structure at 1.8-Å resolution. The structure reveals an elongated molecule with a rigid architecture stabilized by nine disulfide bridges. The PSI domain is located centrally and participates in the formation of extended interfaces with the hybrid domain and I-EGF1 domains, respectively. The hybrid domain/PSI interface involves the burial of an Arg residue, and contacts between PSI and I-EGF1 are mainly mediated by well conserved Arg and Trp residues. Conservation of key interacting residues across the various integrin β subunits sequences suggests that our structure represents a good model for the entire integrin family. Superposition with the integrin β3 receptor in its bent conformation suggests that an articulation point is present at the linkage between its I-EGF1 and I-EGF2 modules and underlines the importance of this region for the control of integrin-mediated cell adhesion.

The gene organisation of the human β2 integrin subunit (CD18)

We have studied the gene of the human β2 integrin subunit (CD18) and found it to be organised into 16 exons spanning a region of about 40 kb. All exon/intron boundaries conform to the GT/AG splicing consensus. The exons coding for the cysteine‐rich region, which has been postulated to consist of 3 or 4 repeating elements, are not organised correspondingly. Transcription of the gene initiates from multiple sites which may be due to the absence of an upstream TATA box. The polyadenylation site is also heterogeneous. Five different sites were identified over a stretch of 10 bases.

The purification and properties of some less common allotypes of the fourth component of human complement

Human complement component C4 is coded by two genes situated between HLA-D and HLA-B. Both genes are highly polymorphic; C4-A gene products normally carry the blood group antigen Rodgers and C4-B proteins usually carry the Chido antigen. Using a monoclonal antibody which binds Rodgers-positive and Chido-positive proteins with different affinities, we have purified a number of less common C4 allotypes and compared their properties. All C4-B allotypes tested have similar specific hemolytic activities and binding efficiencies to small molecules. All C4-A proteins tested had similar binding to small molecules and hemolytic activities except for the C4-A6 proteins from two individuals with different extended haplotypes, both of which had identical hemolytic activities and much lower ones than other C4-A allotypes. Two allotypes, C4 Al, Rodgers-negative but Chido-positive, and C4-B5, Chido-negative but probably Rodgers-positive, were found to behave as typical C4A and C4-B proteins, respectively, apart from the switch in their antigenic properties.

Mutation of a conserved asparagine in the i-like domain promotes constitutively active integrins αLβ2 and αIIbβ3

The leukocyte β2 integrins are heterodimeric adhesion receptors required for a functional immune system. Many leukocyte adhesion deficiency-1 (LAD-1) mutations disrupt the expression and function of β2 integrins. Herein, we further characterized the LAD-1 mutation N329S in the β2 inserted (I)-like domain. This mutation converted αLβ2 from a resting into a high affinity conformer because αLβ2N329S transfectants adhered avidly to ligand intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-3 in the absence of additional activating agent. An extended open conformation is adopted by αLβ2N329S because of its reactivity with the β2 activation reporter monoclonal antibodies MEM148 and KIM127. A corresponding mutation inβ3 generated constitutively activeαIIbβ3 that adhered to fibrinogen. This Asn is conserved in all human β subunits, and it resides before the last helix of the I-like domain, which is known to be important in activation signal propagation. By mutagenesis studies and review of existing integrin structures, we conjectured that this conserved Asn may have a primary role in shaping the I-like domain by stabilizing the conformation of theα7 helix and the β6-α7 loop in the I-like domain.

The Cytosolic Protein Talin Induces an Intermediate Affinity Integrin αLβ2

The integrin αLβ2 mediates leukocyte adhesion and migration that are required for a functional immune system. It is known that inside-out signaling triggers αLβ2 conformational changes, which affect its ligand-binding affinity. At least three αLβ2 affinity states (low, intermediate, and high) were described. The cytosolic protein talin connects αLβ2 to the actin filament. The talin head domain is also known to activate αLβ2 ligand binding. However, it remains to be determined whether talin promotes an intermediate or high affinity αLβ2. In this study using transfectants and T cells, we showed that talin induced an intermediate affinity αLβ2 that adhered constitutively to its ligand intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 but not ICAM-3. Adhesion to ICAM-3 was induced when an additional exogenous activating agent was included. Similar profiles were observed with soluble ICAMs. In addition, the intermediate affinity αLβ2 induced by talin allowed adhesion and migration of T cells on immobilized ICAMs.

The role of the cysteine-rich region of the β2 integrin subunit in the leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1, αLβ2, CD11a/CD18) heterodimer formation and ligand binding

The cysteine‐rich region (CRR) of the β2 integrin subunit was replaced by that of β1 to give the chimera β2NV1. β2NV1 can combine with αL to form a variant leukocyte‐function‐associated antigen (LFA)‐1 on COS cell surface, suggesting that the specificity of the β2 interaction with αL does not lie in the CRR. Unlike those expressing wild‐type LFA‐1, COS cells expressing αLβ2NV1 are constitutively active in intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)‐1 adhesion. These results suggest that activation of LFA‐1 involves the release of an intramolecular constraint, which is maintained, in part, by the authentic β2 CRR.

The thioester and isotypic sites of complement component C4 in sheep and cattle

The region inclusive of the thioester and the isotype-determining sites of the sheep C4 genes from a single animal was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Two bands, at 880 base pairs (bp) and 1000 bp, were resolved by agarose gel electrophoresis. Four different clones were obtained for the 880 bp (type 1) product and two from the 1000 bp (type 2) product. Two of the type 1 clones (type 1H) and both type 2 clones (type 2H) code for the PCPVIH sequence at the isotypic site whereas the other two type 1 clones (type 1D) code for the PFPVMD sequence. By restriction mapping and Southern blot analysis, there appears to be four C4 gene loci for the sheep: two type 1H, one type 1D, and one type 2H. The type 1H and type 2H genes are likely to code for proteins with C4B-like properties whereas the type 1D genes for proteins with C4A-like properties. The same region of the sheep C4 genes of nine other breeds of sheep are also amplified by PCR and analyzed by restriction mapping and Southern hybridization. Each of the sheep has type 1H, type 2H, and type 1D genes and appears to have four C4 gene loci except for the Orkney, which may have five. A single band of 880 bp was obtained from the PCR product from the genomic DNA of a single cow. Five different clones were identified, two of which code for the PFPVMD sequence and three for the PCPVIH sequence at the isotypic site, which is consistent with previous finding that C4 proteins with A- and B-like activities could be purified from the plasma of the same animal. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the isotype-determining region of the sheep and cattle C4 genes with those of the primates and mouse suggests that the C4A-like genes evolved independently in the primates and the ungulates.