M. Aurrandlions et al., THY3, A DEVELOPMENTALLY-REGULATED T-CELL GLYCOPROTEIN ASSOCIATED TO THY-1 IN DETERGENT-RESISTANT MEMBRANE MICRODOMAINS, Cellular immunology, 176(2), 1997, pp. 173-179
The function of the Thy-1 molecule, a major T-cell glycoprotein, is st
ill obscure. Its functional properties might be due to the anchoring v
ia a glycosylphosphatidylinositol group which favors gathering of mole
cules in functional membrane subregions called microdomains. Using nov
el monoclonal antibodies, we describe a 53-kDa Thy-1-associated glycop
rotein called Thy-3. Thy-3 expression is restricted to T lymphocytes,
becomes detectable on double-positive thymocytes, and depends on that
of Thy-1. Anti-Thy-3 antibodies immunoprecipitate Thy-1 and Thy-3 or T
hy-3 alone in detergents which preserve or disrupt microdomains, respe
ctively. These antibodies induce thymocyte aggregation and interfere w
ith adhesion of thymocytes to a thymic epithelial cell line as previou
sly shown with anti-Thy-1 antibodies. Thus, Thy-3 is a T lineage-speci
fic glycoprotein associated to Thy-1 in membrane microdomains and migh
t contribute to the function of Thy-1 in T-cell differentiation. (C) 1
997 Academic Press.