Certain anti‐CD34 monoclonal antibodies induce homotypic adhesion of leukemic cell lines in a CD18‐dependent and a CD18‐independent way

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Abstract
CD34 is a highly glycosylated type I membrane protein expressed by early hematopoietic progenitor cells as well as by endothelial cells and a subset of bone marrow stromal cells. CD34 is thought to play an important role during early hematopoiesis, although its function is unknown. We demonstrate that triggering of CD34 results in a rapid and vigorous homotypic adhesion in CD34+ cell lines, thereby providing evidence for a cell‐cell adhesion function of CD34. The cellular adhesion event, induced by only two anti‐CD34 mAb, (Immu‐133 and QBend‐10) was dependent on metabolic energy, an intact cytoskeleton and the presence of divalent cations. Analysis of antibody inhibition experiments indicated that the aggregation process partially involved the CD18 molecule.