A cell surface receptor defined by a mAb mediates a unique type of cell death similar to oncosis.

Cell death is mediated by distinct pathways including apoptosis and oncosis in response to various death signals. To characterize molecules involved in cell death, a panel of mAbs was raised by immunizing mice with apoptotic cells. One of these antibodies, designated anti-Porimin (for pro-oncosis receptor inducing membrane injury), was found to directly induce a unique type of cell death in Jurkat cells. Anti-Porimin defines a 110-kDa cell surface receptor on Jurkat cells. Functionally, anti-Porimin alone rapidly mediates pore formation on the plasma membrane and induces cell death without participation of complement. Both the cellular expression and functional characteristics of the Porimin antigen indicate that it is distinct from the CD95 (Fas/Apo-1) and other cell receptors known to induce apoptosis. Anti-Porimin-mediated cell death was preceded by cell aggregation, formation of plasma membrane pores, and the appearance of membrane blebs. More important, these cells show neither DNA fragmentation nor apoptotic bodies, but display lethal damage of the cell membrane. Cell death by anti-Porimin is distinct from complement-dependent cytolysis or complement-independent apoptosis but is similar to that described for oncosis, a form of cell death accompanied by the membrane damage followed by karyolysis. The induction of cell death by anti-Porimin may represent a unique cell surface receptor-mediated pathway of cell death in the human lymphoid system.