CD2: a functional adhesion molecule on murine B cells, involved in interleukin-4-induced aggregation.

The murine equivalent to CD2, previously known as a T cell marker, is expressed on mouse B cells. The monoclonal anti-CD2 antibody 12-15 was found to induce B cell homotypic adhesion. When treated with F(ab')2 fragments of 12-15, purified, resting B cells aggregate within 2 h of incubation and the response is optimal after 20 h. Anti-CD2-induced aggregation is a dose-related active process, dependent on temperature, metabolic energy and divalent cations. Aggregation is inhibited by two different Fab monomers of anti-CD2, implying that it is the CD2 molecule itself that functions as an adhesion molecule. We also report that interleukin 4-induced B cell homotypic adhesion involves CD2-mediated cell binding, since the antibodies specific for mouse, CD2, inhibited interleukin-4-induced cell aggregation.