In vivo expression of alternatively spliced forms of integrin-associated protein (CD47)

Abstract

Integrin-associated protein (IAP) is a 50 kDa plasma membrane protein physically and functionally associated with beta 3 integrins in a variety of cells. IAP has an extracellular immunoglobulin domain, five transmembrane domains and a short intracytoplasmic tail. IAP is recognized by anti-CD47 antibodies and is expressed on cells, such as erythrocytes and lymphocytes, which do not express beta 3 integrins. To learn more about potential functions of IAP we examined its expression in vivo. Using the polymerase chain reaction, we detected 4 alternatively splice forms of IAP which differ from each other only at their intracytoplasmic carboxy termini. These alternatively spliced forms are generated by inclusion or exclusion of three short exons within 5 kb in the genome and are highly conserved between mouse and man. There is tissue specificity of expression of the alternatively spliced forms of IAP mRNA, with bone marrow-derived cells expressing predominantly one form and neural tissue another. Using polyclonal antibodies which recognize the alternatively spliced bone marrow (form 2) and neural (form 4) forms of IAP, we found that in accord with the mRNA, form 2 protein was expressed in all tissues primarily on bone marrow-derived cells and endothelia, while form 4 was highly expressed in the brain and peripheral nervous system. The evolutionary conservation of IAP isoforms and their tissue-specific expression suggest an important role for these intracytoplasmic domains in IAP function.