The NH2-terminal domain of rat CD2 binds rat CD48 with a low affinity and binding does not require glycosylation of CD2

The CD58 (LFA-3) binding site is a localized and highly charged surface area on the AGFCC'C" face of the human CD2 adhesion domain

Using site-directed mutagenesis in conjunction with NMR structural data on the adhesion domain of human CD2, we have defined the binding region for CD58. Previous structural studies of rat and human CD2 indicate that this adhesion domain is immunoglobulin-like. Here we report that the CD58 binding site is a well-circumscribed, charged surface area covering approximately 770 A2 on the AGFCC'C" face of the CD2 beta barrel. This site contains beta-strand residues in the carboxyl-terminal half of the F strand (including Lys-82 and Tyr-86), the top of the C strand (Asp-32 and Lys-34), and the C' strand (Gln-46), which are all solvent exposed. In addition, several exposed residues on the FG loop (Gly-90, Lys-91, Asn-92, and Val-93), the CC' loop (Lys-41 and Lys-43), and the C'C" loop (Arg-48 and Lys-51) form this site. In contrast, neither residues on the more peripheral G and C" strands of the same CD2 surface nor residues on B, E, and D strands of the opposite face are involved in CD58 binding. This CD58 binding site is predicted to lie most distal to the T-lymphocyte surface membrane, with ready access to CD58 on the surface of the opposing antigen-presenting cell.

The association of the protein tyrosine kinases p56lck and p60fyn with the glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins Thy-1 and CD48 in rat thymocytes is dependent on the state of cellular activation

Cell surface glycoproteins anchored to the plasma membrane via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) structures, and hence having no cytoplasmic domains, can nevertheless transmit activation signals in lymphocytes. By immunoprecipitation from detergent lysates and in vitro immune complex kinase reactions the GPI-anchored molecules Thy-1 and CD48 are shown to be associated with multimolecular complexes of phosphoproteins including the protein tyrosine kinases p56lck and p60fyn in both rat and mouse thymocytes. Moreover, the kinase activity associated with Thy-1 on rat thymocytes is shown to be dependent on the activation state of the cells, with stimulation by the lectin, concanavalin A, producing a marked decrease in Thy-1-associated kinase activity. In such activated cells, there is an increased association of kinase activity with CD48, but this may be explained in terms of increased surface expression of CD48 and of increased total kinase activity. Additional phosphoproteins of 85, 36 and 32 kDa were consistently seen as components of the complexes.

Structure of the glycosylated adhesion domain of human T lymphocyte glycoprotein CD2

BACKGROUND

CD2, a T-cell specific surface glycoprotein, is critically important for mediating adherence of T cells to antigen-presenting cells or target cells. Domain 1 of human CD2 is responsible for cell adhesion, binding to CD58 (LFA-3) expressed on the cell to which the T cell binds. Human CD2 domain 1 requires N-linked carbohydrate to maintain its native conformation and ability to bind CD58. In contrast, rat CD2 does not require N-linked carbohydrate, and binds to a different ligand, CD48.

RESULTS

The three-dimensional structure of the glycosylated form of domain 1 of human CD2 has been determined by NMR spectroscopy. The overall structure resembles the typical beta-barrel of an immunoglobulin variable domain. Nuclear Overhauser enhancement contacts between the protein and the N-linked glycan have been tentatively identified.

CONCLUSION

Based on our results, we propose a model showing how the N-linked glycan might be positioned in the human CD2 domain 1 structure. The model provides an explanation for the observed instability of deglycosylated human CD2, and allows residues that are important for CD58 binding to be differentiated from those affecting conformational stability via interactions with the glycan.