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Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a small subset of lymphocytes that recognize glycolipid antigens in the context of CD1d and consequently produce large quantities of pro-inflammatory and/or anti-inflammatory cytokines. Several transmembrane glycoproteins have been implicated in the co-stimulation of iNKT cell responses. However, whether glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins can function in this capacity is not known. Here, we demonstrate that antibody-mediated cross-linking of the prototype mouse GPI-anchored protein Thy-1 (CD90) on the surface of a double-negative (CD4⁻CD8⁻) iNKT cell line leads to cytokine production at both the mRNA and protein levels. In addition, Thy-1 triggering enhanced cytokine secretion by iNKT cells that were concomitantly stimulated with α-galactosylceramide (αGC), consistent with a co-stimulatory role for Thy-1 in iNKT cell activation. This was also evident when a CD4+ mouse iNKT cell line or primary hepatic NKT cells were stimulated with αGC and/or anti-Thy-1 antibody. Cross-linking Ly-6A/E, another GPI-anchored protein, could also boost cytokine secretion by αGC-stimulated iNKT cells, suggesting that the observed effects reflect a general property of GPI-anchored proteins. To extend these results from mouse to human cells, we focused on CD55, a GPI-anchored protein that, unlike Thy-1, is expressed on human iNKT cells. Cross-linking CD55 augmented αGC-induced iNKT cell responses as judged by more vigorous proliferation and higher CD69 expression. Collectively, these findings demonstrate for the first time that GPI-anchored proteins are able to co-stimulate CD1d-restricted, glycolipid-reactive iNKT cells in both mice and humans., (© 2010 The Authors. Immunology © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Decay-accelerating factor (DAF, CD55) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked membrane inhibitor of complement activation. While human and other mammalian species contain only one DAF gene, two distinct DAF genes, referred to as GPI-DAF and transmembrane (TM)-DAF, respectively, have been identified in the mouse. Using several independently generated monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, either with dual or single specificity for GPI-DAF and TM-DAF gene products, we have examined the expression of the two DAF genes in tissues of the wild-type and a strain of knockout mouse whose GPI-DAF gene has been inactivated. By fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis, we found that DAF protein is present on the wild-type mouse erythrocytes and lymphocytes but no signal was detectable on the same cells of GPI-DAF gene knockout mice. Both T and B lymphocytes and splenic macrophages express the GPI-DAF gene but the expression level is higher on B lymphocytes than on T lymphocytes. Within the T cell population, both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are positive. DAF protein was detected by immunohistochemistry at high levels on wild-type mouse spermatids and mature sperm. In contrast, only mature sperm stained positive in the GPI-DAF gene knockout mouse testis, suggesting that GPI-DAF but not the TM-DAF gene is expressed on spermatids. Examination of the fetoplacental unit at the day 7.5 stage revealed that GPI-DAF but not the TM-DAF gene is expressed in the maternal decidua cells surrounding the trophoectoderm of the embryo. No DAF expression was detected on trophoblast or the embryo proper. These findings suggest that although the TM-DAF gene is irrelevant on mouse blood cells, the two DAF genes may have different roles in germ cell development and/or mature sperm function. Because complement receptor 1-related gene/protein y (Crry) has been shown to be expressed on early mouse embryos, the complete lack of GPI-DAF and TM-DAF gene expression in early mouse development may explain the observed sensitivity of Crry-deficient embryos to maternal complement attack.

Human polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) express proteins that protect them from damage by homologous complement. Protection may be particularly important when these cells migrate to inflammatory sites where complement activation is taking place. Resolution of inflammation involves removal of these PMN. The major mechanism of removal is likely to involve PMN apoptosis followed by recognition and engulfment by macrophages. However, little attention has been paid to the possible relevance of apoptosis to PMN susceptibility to immune effectors. Here we describe a reduction in cell surface expression of two complement regulatory proteins, CD59, an inhibitor of the membrane attack complex and CD55 (decay accelerating factor), an inhibitor of the C3/C5 convertase, on a subpopulation of PMN aged in culture. Loss of these proteins, both attached to the membrane by glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors, correlated closely with the appearance of apoptotic morphology. We also observed a marked reduction in expression of the GPI-anchored molecule CD16 on apoptotic PMN. Reduced expression of membrane proteins was not confined to those anchored through GPI--several transmembrane molecules including CD11a CD11b and CD18 were also reduced on apoptotic PMN, whilst other were little changed (CD35, CD46). The precipitous fall in CD16 surface expression on PMN was not specific for apoptosis--in vitro incubation of PMN with lipopolysaccharide-inhibited apoptosis but caused a reduction in CD16 expression to 'apoptotic' levels.

Analysis of complement inhibitory proteins present on the surface of Raji cells (obtained from the European Collection of Animal Cell Cultures; originally established from human Burkitt's lymphoma) revealed two populations of cells. These populations differed in their expression of the glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored inhibitors CD59 and decay-accelerating factor (DAF). Two stable clones were established by limiting dilution of the original cell culture. Raji+3 expressed CD59 and DAF whereas Raji-26 expressed neither inhibitor. Both clones expressed membrane cofactor protein (MCP). Analyses of other cell surface proteins (CD19, CD35, CD48 and CD58 (transmembrane form)) revealed similar levels of expression of transmembrane proteins by both clones. However, CD48 was expressed only by Raji+3. As CD48, DAF and CD59 are all GPI-anchored molecules it is likely that a defect in the GPI-anchoring mechanism is responsible for the generation of the second population of cells. The two clones demonstrated markedly different sensitivities to complement. When equally sensitized cells from both clones were treated with normal human serum (12.5%) for 1 hr at 37 degrees, the Raji+3 clone was resistant to complement-mediated lysis, whereas approximately 70% of the Raji-26 cells were lysed. However, by using specific antibody to block the function of membrane-bound complement inhibitors, lysis of Raji+3 was demonstrated. Whilst blocking of one inhibitor only on the cell had little effect on cell killing, blocking of two or more inhibitors significantly increased cell lysis. Our results demonstrated that all three inhibitors expressed by these cells contributed to protection against classical pathway-mediated complement activation. However, whilst a limited protective role was seen for MCP, CD59 and DAF appeared to be of far more importance for protection from complement-mediated lysis via the classical pathway.

Participation of transmembrane (TM) and glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchored H-2Db molecules in antigen presentation and thymic selection events was investigated using transgenic mice. Both GPI-Db and TM-Db can efficiently present H-Y antigen, influenza and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) peptides to primed cytotoxic, H-2Db-restricted T cells. Transgenic mice expressing GPI-Db, although unable to reject TM-Db skin grafts, nevertheless generate secondary CTL responses which can lyse TM-Db-bearing targets, indicating that GPI-Db mice fail to delete all TM-Db-reactive T cells. Furthermore, double-transgenic mice bearing GPI-Db and a T-cell receptor (TcR) for H-2Db+LCMV do not positively select receptor positive, CD8+CD4- T cells. This paradoxical behaviour of GPI-Db molecules suggests that the structural requirements for antigen presentation and thymic selection by class I molecules are different and may explain why GPI-linked class I molecules, such as Qa-2, do not appear to function as restriction elements in vivo.

Surface expression of membrane(m) IgM molecules requires the association of two disulphide-linked transmembrane (TM) glycoproteins, encoded by the B-cell-specific genes mb-1 and B29. We have shown that mIgM, mIgD and mIgG are associated with structurally related heterodimers on primary human B cells. Transfection studies in murine plasmacytoma cells, however, have demonstrated mb-1-independent expression of both mIgD and mIgG. The recent finding that mIgD is expressed on these cells through glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) linkage may be interesting in view of the function of mIgD on primary B cells. We therefore investigated whether GPI linkage serves as an additional mechanism for expression of mIgD and the other mIg isotypes on primary human B cells. However, we were unable to demonstrate the release of mIg molecules upon treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) in either immunofluorescence analysis or Ig heavy (H) chain-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We conclude that primary human B cells, which constitutively express the mb-1 and B29 genes, do not express the mIg isotypes in a GPI-linked manner.