CD44 variant isoform v10 is expressed on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and mediates hyaluronan-independent heterotypic cell-cell adhesion to melanoma cells

CD44 is a family of cell-surface receptors on human lymphocytes that act as co-stimulatory molecules leading to the induction of effector functions in T cells. We have analyzed primary cutaneous malignant melanomas with clinical and histologic signs of tumor regression using immunohistochemistry and observed the predominant expression of the CD44 variant isoform v10 on CD3 CD4/CD8 co-expressing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). We further analyzed the role of CD44v10 in adhesion of lymphocytes to human melanoma cells. In contrast to CD44(-) lymphatic cells, CD44v10(+) lymphatic cells strongly bound to cultured human melanoma cells and to frozen tissue samples of melanomas. Antibody blocking studies revealed a hyaluronan, integrin-, and selectin-independent pathway of adhesion. Furthermore, CD44v10(+) lymphatic cells exhibited significantly higher invasiveness in three-dimensional collagen matrices as compared with CD44H(+) and CD44-negative lymphocytes. These results indicate that expression of CD44v10 on TIL may mediate adhesion to melanoma cells and result in gain of novel invasive properties.