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Abstract: Previously described polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to rabbit CD5, raised against expressed recombinant protein or peptides, recognize CD5 on most rabbit B cells. The mAb KEN-5 was originally reported to recognize rabbit CD5. However, KEN-5 binds almost exclusively to T cells and only to a minor population of B cells. We show here that by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), KEN-5 binds to recombinant rabbit CD5. This interaction is partially inhibited by polyclonal goat anti-CD5 antibody. In addition, immunoprecipitations from lysates of surface biotinylated rabbit lymphocytes with KEN-5 or our anti-CD5 mAb isolate molecules that migrate identically on gels with the same approximate relative molecular mass of 67,000 M r. By flow cytometric analyses of individual cells from spleen, thymus and appendix, KEN-5 recognizes CD5-like molecules mainly on T cells and on 3–6% of IgM+ B cells. Immunohistochemical staining of splenic and appendix tissues and confocal immunofluorescent imaging confirm and extend results from flow cytometric analyses. Quantitation of fluorescent colocalization indicates that staining by KEN-5 colocalizes with staining by anti-CD5 on small percentage lymphocytes in splenic tissue sections. As CD5 has both N- and O-linked glycosylation, we hypothesised that differential binding of KEN-5 to T cells and B-cells may be explained by different glycan structures on the CD5 present on T compared to B cells. This hypothesis is supported by ELISA data that show that deglycosylation diminishes the binding of KEN-5 to recombinant rabbit CD5. Screening KEN-5 on an array with 406 glycans was inconclusive. Although we did not identify a strongly binding glycan structure, the data are suggestive that the epitope recognized by KEN-5 may be influenced by glycan structures. The epitope this mAb recognizes may either be the glycan itself, or more likely, is influenced by neighboring glycan structure. Our findings suggest that development, selection and function of different B- and T-cell subsets or their preferential survival may be directly or indirectly dependent on different glycan structures associated with CD5 or CD5-like molecules expressed on T cells compared to B cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Rabbits are widely used for vaccine development, and investigations of human infectious and autoimmune diseases such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). For these applications, we cloned, sequenced and expressed rabbit B-cell Activating Factor (BAFF), and localized BAFF in cells and tissues of the rabbit immune system. The rabbit homolog of the human BAFF binding site (miniBR3 peptide) within the BAFF-specific receptor BR3 was synthesized. This 26-residue core domain binds to recombinant rabbit BAFF protein. Flow cytometric analyses using purified recombinant rabbit BAFF combined with real-time PCR findings revealed that BAFF detected on peripheral blood B-cells from normal rabbits is probably complexed to BAFF receptors rather than produced by the B-cells. BAFF was detected in developing appendix of young rabbits by immunohistochemical staining suggesting that BAFF plays a role during the period following birth when rabbit B-cell development and pre-immune antibody repertoire diversification and selection is occurring. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]