Certain bispecific antibodies exhibit an extraordinary potency and efficacy for target cell lysis by eliciting a polyclonal T-cell response. One example is a CD19-/CD3-bispecific single-chain antibody construct (bscCD19xCD3), which at femtomolar concentrations can redirect cytotoxic T cells to eliminate human B lymphocytes, B lymphoma cell lines and patient-derived malignant B cells. Here we have further explored the basis for this high potency. Using video-assisted microscopy, bscCD19xCD3 was found to alter the motility and activity of T cells from a scanning to a killing mode. Individual T cells could eliminate multiple target cells within a 9 hr time period, resulting in nuclear fragmentation and membrane blebbing of target cells. Complete target cell elimination was observed within 24 hr at effector-to-target cell ratios as low as 1:5. Under optimal conditions, cell killing started within minutes after addition of bscCD19xCD3, suggesting that the rate of serial killing was mostly determined by T-cell movement and target cell scanning and lysis. At all times, T cells remained highly motile, and no clusters of T and target cells were induced by the bispecific antibody. Bystanding target-negative cells were not detectably affected. Repeated target cell lysis by bscCD19xCD3-activated T cells increased the proportion of CD19/CD3 double-positive T cells, which was most likely a consequence of transfer of CD19 from B to T cells during cytolytic synapse formation. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that a bispecific antibody can sustain multiple rounds of target cell lysis by T cells. ' 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Based on sequence homologies with leguminous lectins, the intermediate compartment marker proposed to be a member of a putative new class of animal lectins associated with the secretory pathway. Independently, a promyelocytic protein, MR60, was purified by mannose-column chromatography, and a cDNA was isolated that matched MR60 peptide sequences. This cDNA was identical to that of and homologies with the animal lectin family of the galectins were noticed. Not all peptide sequences of MR60, however, were found in ERGIC-53, raising the possibility that another protein associated with ERGIC-53 may possess the lectin activity. Here, we provide the first direct evidence for a lectin function of ERGIC-53. Overexpressed ERGIC-53 binds to a mannose column in a calcium-dependent manner and also co-stains with mannosylated neoglycoprotein in a morphological binding assay. By using a sequential elution protocol we show that ERGIC-53 has selectivity for mannose and low affinity for glucose and GlcNAc, but no affinity for galactose. To experimentally address the putative homology of ERGIC-53 to leguminous lectins, a highly conserved protein family with an invariant asparagine essential for carbohydrate binding, we substituted the corresponding asparagine in ERGIC-53. This mutation, as well as a mutation affecting a second site in the putative carbohydrate recognition domain, abolished mannosecolumn binding and co-staining with mannosylated neoglycoprotein. These findings establish ERGIC-53 as a lectin and provide functional evidence for its relationship to leguminous lectins. Based on its monosaccharide specificity, domain organization, and recycling properties, we propose ERGIC-53 to function as a sorting receptor for glycoproteins in the early secretory pathway.

ERGIC-53, a homo-oligomeric recycling protein associated with the ER–Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC), has properties of a mannose-selective lectin in vitro, suggesting that it may function as a transport receptor for glycoproteins in the early secretory pathway. To investigate if ERGIC-53 is involved in glycoprotein secretion, a mutant form of this protein was generated that is incapable of leaving the ER. If expressed in HeLa cells in a tetracycline-inducible manner, this mutant accumulated in the ER and retained the endogenous ERGIC-53 in this compartment, thus preventing its recycling. Mistargeting of ERGIC-53 to the ER did not alter the gross morphology of the early secretory pathway, including the distribution of β′-COP. However, it impaired the secretion of one major glycoprotein, identified as the precursor of the lysosomal enzyme cathepsin C, while overexpression of wild-type ERGIC-53 had no effect on glycoprotein secretion. Transport of two other lysosomal enzymes and three post-Golgi membrane glycoproteins was unaffected by inactivating the recycling of ERGIC-53. The results suggest that the recycling of ERGIC-53 is required for efficient intracellular transport of a small subset of glycoproteins, but it does not appear to be essential for the majority of glycoproteins.

Abstract. ERGIC

Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF) attachment protein (␣-SNAP) is a soluble protein that enables the NSF ATPase to associate with membranes and facilitate membrane trafficking events. Although NSF and ␣-SNAP have been shown to be required for many membrane transport processes, their role in the transport of mannose 6-phosphate receptors from endosomes to the trans Golgi network was not established. We present here a novel in vitro assay that monitors the transport of cation-dependent mannose 6-phosphate receptors between endosomes and the trans Golgi network. The assay relies on the trans Golgi network localization of tyrosine sulfotransferase and monitors transport of mannose 6-phosphate receptors engineered to contain a consensus sequence for modification by this enzyme. Using this new assay we show that ␣-SNAP strongly stimulates transport in reactions containing limiting amounts of cytosol. Together with ␣-SNAP, NSF can increase the extent of transport. These data show that ␣-SNAP, a soluble component of the SNAP receptor machinery, facilitates transport from endosomes to the trans Golgi network.