The nucleotide sequence of<i>Ly</i>48 (mouse leukosialin, sialophorin): the mouse homolog of CD43

Abstract

Ly 48, also known as mouse leukosialin, is a major sialoglycoprotein on the surface of a number of hematopoietic cells. Ly 48 is the homolog of the human CD43 gene (1, 2) (also known as large sialoglycoprotein, sialophorin, and leukosialin) and the rat W3/13 gene (3). The precise physiologic role of leukosialin is unknown, however the molecule has been implicated in proliferation, Ca+2 signalling, and cell adhesion. Characteristic isoforms of leukosialin are found on different cell types and on activated cells. Defects in CD43 expression have been correlated with Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome, an X-linked immunodeficiency disease.