Molecular Cloning of a Novel Hyaluronan Receptor That Mediates Tumor Cell Motility

This protein is regulated by the mutant H-ras gene in cells containing a metallothionein promoter H-ras hybrid gene. Further, antibodies to peptide sequences encoded in the eDNA block the increase in locomotion resulting from induction of the mutant H-ras gene in this cell line. In a transblot assay, the bacterially expressed protein binds to biotinylated hyaluronan. Antibodies to peptides encoded in the cDNA react in immunoblot assays with the 58and 52-kD proteins of a novel hyaluronan receptor complex previously implicated in cell locomotion. Furthermore, antibodies specific to the 58and 52-kD proteins, which block ms-induced locomotion, also cross-react with the expressed, encoded protein. The gene product described here appears to be a new type of hyaluronan receptor that is involved in cell locomotion. It is named RHAMM, an acronym for receptor for hyaluronan-