The identification of the β2‐microglobulin binding antigen encoded by the human CDID gene

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Abstract
Human cluster of differentiation (CD1) is a family of cell surface glycoproteins composed of a 43–49‐kDa heavy chain non‐covalently associated with β2‐microglobulin. Five human CD1 genes have been detected and cloned. Three genes (CD1A, ‐B and ‐C) encode the serologically defined CD1a, ‐b and ‐c antigens. Thus two genes remain, CD1D and CD1E, whose protein products have not been characterized so far. This report describes how a β‐galactosidase‐CD1D fusion protein was used to raise specific antisera and a monoclonal antibody against the CD1D gene product. The monoclonal antibody defines a cell surface molecule expressed on a cortical thymocyte cell line and is composed of a 49‐kDa heavy chain associated with β2‐microglobulin, which is serologically distinct from CD1a.