The adhesion receptor CD155 determines the magnitude of humoral immune responses against orally ingested antigens.

CD155, originally known as the cellular receptor for poliovirus, is the founding member of a subfamily of immunoglobulin-like adhesion receptors. Apart from its function in establishing adherens junctions between contacting epithelial cells, the engagement of CD155 with two recently identified ligands, CD226 and CD96, mediates immunologically relevant processes such as NK cell-driven killing of tumor cells in humans. Here we report on the generation and immunological analysis of mice constitutively deficient of CD155. Moreover, the expression profile of CD155 on hematopoietic cells has been determined using newly established antibodies. CD155-deficient mice develop normally without displaying an overt phenotype. However, the animals are distinguished by distinct deficits in the development of a regular humoral immune response. Whereas systemic challenges revealed no differences, orally administered antigen evoked less efficient IgG and IgA antibody responses despite of normal IgM titers when compared to wild-type mice. Therefore, CD155 may assist in an efficient humoral immune response generated within the intestinal immune system.