HML-1 antigen on mucosa-associated T cells, activated cells, and hairy leukemic cells is a new integrin containing the beta 7 subunit.

The monoclonal antibodies HML-1, B-ly7 and Ber-ACT8 recognize intramucosal gut T lymphocytes, activated cells, and hairy cell leukemia. The antigen on hairy cells consists of three glycoproteins (160 kappa D, 130 kappa D and 105 kappa D unreduced; 145 kappa D and 120 kappa D reduced). These peptides have biochemical features reminiscent of integrins but we have shown by immunoprecipitation that they are not known integrin subunits. We have used a newly produced antibody (BP6) to purify this molecule and shown by N-terminal sequence analysis that the smallest subunit is the product of integrin beta 7 cDNA. This molecule is thus a new member of the integrin family of leucocyte adhesion proteins. Immunoprecipitation experiments indicate that the two larger subunits are recognized by HML-1, B-ly7 and Ber-ACT8.