A CD63 Homolog Specially Recruited to the Fungi-Contained Phagosomes Is Involved in the Cellular Immune Response of Oyster

Cluster of differentiation 63 (CD63), a four-transmembrane glycoprotein in the subfamily of tetraspanin, has been widely recognized as a gateway from the infection of foreign invaders to the immune defense of hosts. Its role in Pacific oyster is, however, yet to be discovered. This work makes contributions by identifying CD63H, a CD63 homolog with four transmembrane domains and one conservative CCG motif, and establishing its role as a receptor that participates in immune recognition and hemocyte phagocytosis. The presence of CD63H messenger RNA (mRNA) in hepatopancreas, labial palps, gill, and hemocytes is confirmed. The expression level of mRNA in hemocytes is found significantly ( < 0.01) upregulated after the injection of . CD63H protein, typically distributed over the plasma membrane of oyster hemocytes, is recruited to the -containing phagosomes after the stimulation of . The recombinant CD63H protein expresses binding capacity to glucan (GLU), peptidoglycan (PGN), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the presence of lyophilized hemolymph. The phagocytic rate of hemocytes toward and is significantly inhibited ( < 0.01) after incubation with anti-CgCD63H antibody. Our work further suggests that CD63H functions as a receptor involved in the immune recognition and hemocyte phagocytosis against invading pathogen, which can be a marker candidate for the hemocyte typing in .