Effects of anti-CD44 monoclonal antibody on adhesion of erythroid leukemic cells (ELM-I-1) to hematopoietic supportive cells (MS-5): CD44, but not hyaluronate-mediated, cell-cell adhesion.

Cocultivation of erythroid leukemic cells (ELM-I-1) with hemopoietic supportive cells (MS-5) resulted in a specific adhesion of ELM-I-1 cells to MS-5 cells. This phenomenon was designated as rosette formation. After induction of differentiation of ELM-I-1 cells, rosette formation was reduced, and no rosette formation was observed between erythrocytes and MS-5 cells. Studies on anti-adhesion molecule antibody treatment have revealed that CD44 plays a key role in rosette formation. Expression of CD44 on (the membrane of) ELM-I-1 cells was reduced after differentiation, and no CD44 expression was detected on erythrocytes. CD44 was also expressed on MS-5. Hyaluronate is known as the ligand of CD44, but neither hyaluronidase treatment nor addition of excess hyaluronate to the assay system affected rosette formation. These data indicate that hyaluronate is not responsible for rosette formation. Anti-CD44 antibody (KM81), which recognized the hyaluronate binding site of CD44, inhibited rosette formation. But other monoclonal antibodies against different epitopes except for the hyaluronate binding site, even those against CD44's hyaluronate binding site, did not inhibit rosette formation. Thus, rosette formation between MS-5 cells and ELM-I-1 cells is mediated by CD44 but not by the hyaluronate binding site of CD44.