Structural features of the cell surface receptor for transferrin that is recognized by the monoclonal antibody OKT9.

The monoclonal antibody OKT9 reacts specifically with the receptors for transferrin on human cells (Sutherland, D. R., Delia, D., Schneider, C., Newman, R. A., Kemshead, J., and Greaves, M. F. (1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 78, 4515-4519; in Leukemia Markers (Knapp, W., ed) pp. 157-160, Academic Press, New York) and has been used to isolate and characterize this receptor. The receptor is a dimeric glycoprotein (Mr = 180,000) composed of two subunits (Mr = 90,000) and has a pI of approximately 5.2. The transferrin receptor appears to be a transmembrane molecule and is phosphorylated, the phosphate group being predominantly on serine residues. The cell surface form of the molecular possesses both complex and high mannose oligosaccharide chains, which do not appear to have a direct role in antibody (OKT9) binding. The molecule can be cleaved into a Mr = 70,000 fragment from the cell surface, suggesting that the major part of the receptor is exposed to the extracellular environment. The released Mr = 70,000 fragments are not disulfide-linked and possess the antibody (OKT9)- and transferrin-binding sites. Cross-linking studies using radiolabeled transferrin suggest that two molecules of transferrin are bound to each Mr = 180,000 receptor dimer.