Protein kinase C-dependent up-regulation of CD5 surface expression on normal and lymphoblastoid T cells

As an approach to study the mechanisms regulating the surface expression of CD5 antigen on T cells, the effects of agents that activate different lymphocyte functions were examined. Active tumour promoter agents (TPA), such as phorbol ester analogues [phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate (PBu2)] and mezerein, were able to increase the expression of CD5 on the cell surface of all T-cell lines), as deduced from immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation analysis. The TPA-induced CD5 up-regulation occurred in a dose-and time-dependent manner and was dependent on protein and RNA synthesis. From the other stimuli tested, the T-cell mitogens [phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A)], as well as monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against the CD3 complex, also increased CD5 expression, although to a lesser degree. In all cases the increments were shown to be dependent on protein kinase C (PKC), as evidenced by their inhibition with staurosporine, a potent inhibitor of PKC activation. These data suggest that CD5 up-regulation on T cells can be a physiological event that depends on PKC activation.

Heterogeneity in the electrophoretic mobility of CD5 molecules after phorbol ester stimulation

As judged by Western blot analysis, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBU) induce the rapid and dose-dependent appearance of slower mobility CD5 molecular forms from peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and thymus cell lysates. This phenomenon was inhibited by staurosporine, suggesting that it can be mediated by PKC activation. Furthermore, under our experimental conditions, neither Concanavalin A, nor Phytohaemagglutinin P or the calcium ionophore A23187 were able to reproduce the phorbol ester-induced changes in the CD5 electrophoretic mobility. When immunoprecipitated from phorbol ester-stimulated P32 labelled PBMC lysates, the slower mobility of CD5 molecules was associated to important phosphorylation. This special electrophoretic behaviour after phorbol ester-stimulation makes CD5 different from other lymphocyte surface glycoproteins and may have important implications in the elucidation of the biological role of this molecule as discussed below.