Canine leukocyte cell adhesion molecules (LeuCAMs): characterization of the CD11/CD18 family.

The canine LeuCAM (CD11/CD18) family is characterized using a panel of newly developed anti-canine LeuCAM monoclonal antibodies (mAb) as well as a cross-reactive anti-human CD11b mAb. The new anti-canine LeuCAM mAb were developed by immunizing mice with purified canine CD11/CD18 antigen derived from an anti-canine CD18 affinity column. Six mAb with reactivity to the canine LeuCAM family were cloned and characterized. These 6 included a new anti-canine CD18 mAb, 2 anti-canine CD11a mAb, 2 anti-canine CD11c mAb, and a mAb which recognizes a novel canine CD11/CD18-related macrophage antigen, designated LeuCAMmac, which is described in a separate report. The cell and tissue distribution of canine LeuCAMs was found to be similar to that reported in other species with a few notable exceptions. One prominent exception was the finding that canine CD11c, in contrast to human CD11c, was much more widely distributed on dendritic cells than it was on tissue macrophages. The molecular organization of the canine LeuCAM family was also found to be similar to that reported in other species, with the possible exception of the canine CD11b alpha chain, which may exist as several different species. It is anticipated that these anti-canine LeuCAM mAb will prove useful in immunophenotypic studies of canine hemolymphatic system neoplasia.