The tetraspanin web represents a new concept of molecular interactions in the immune system. Whereas most surface immune-modulating molecules involve receptor-ligand interactions, tetraspanins associate with partner proteins and facilitate their lateral positioning in the membrane. Moreover, the same tetraspanin molecule can associate with different proteins depending on the cell type. Most importantly, members of this family tend to associate with each other, together with their partners, in membrane microdomains that provide a scaffold for the transmission of external stimuli to intracellular-signalling components.

Tetraspanins are evolutionarily conserved membrane proteins that tend to associate laterally with one another and to cluster dynamically with numerous partner proteins in membrane microdomains. Consequently, members of this family are involved in the coordination of intracellular and intercellular processes, including signal transduction; cell proliferation, adhesion, and migration; cell fusion; and host-parasite interactions.

CD81 is a widely expressed tetraspanin that associates in B cells with CD19 in the CD19-CD21-CD81 signaling complex. CD81 is necessary for normal CD19 expression; cd81−/− B cells express lower levels of CD19, especially cd81−/− small pre-BII cells, which are almost devoid of surface CD19. The dependence of CD19 expression on CD81 is specific to this particular tetraspanin since cd9−/− B cells express normal levels of CD19. Furthermore, expression of human CD81 in mouse cd81−/− B cells restored surface CD19 to normal levels. Quantitative analysis of CD19 mRNA demonstrated normal levels, even in cd81−/− pre-BII cells. Analysis of CD19 at the protein level identified two CD19 glycoforms in both wild-type and cd81−/− B cells. The higher Mr glycoform is significantly reduced in cd81−/− B cells and is endoglycosidase H (endo-H) resistant. In contrast, the low Mr glycoform is comparably expressed in cd81−/− and in wild-type B cells and is endo-H sensitive. Because endo-H sensitivity is tightly correlated with endoplasmic reticulum localization, we suggest that the dependency of CD19 expression on CD81 occurs in a postendoplasmic reticulum compartment where CD81 is necessary for normal trafficking or for surface membrane stability of CD19.