Kidney injury molecule–1 is a phosphatidylserine receptor that confers a phagocytic phenotype on epithelial cells
J. Clin. Invest. Takaharu Ichimura, et al. 118:1657 doi:10.1172/JCI34487 [Go to this article.]

Figure 6
The KIM-1 ectodomain binds specifically to the surface of apoptotic epithelial cells and binds specifically to PS and PE. (A) Flow cytometric histogram plots of fluorescence of normal live LLC-PK1 epithelial cells (left panel) or apoptotic LLC-PK1 epithelial cells (right panel), labeled with KIM1-Fc followed by anti–hIgG-FITC (green), anti–hIgG-FITC alone (red), or no reagents (blue). Note an approximately 50-fold increase in binding of KIM1-Fc to apoptotic cells. (B) Representative photomicrographs of an apoptotic LLC-PK1 cell labeled with KIM1-Fc (green, right panel) and a normal, live LLC-PK1 cell labeled identically (left panel). Nuclei were faintly stained with DAPI (blue) in both cells. Original magnification, ×60. (C) Graph of mean peak fluorescence for binding of KIM1-Fc to apoptotic cells in the absence or presence of the calcium chelators EDTA/EGTA, assessed by flow cytometry. KIM1-Fc binding was abolished by calcium chelators, and binding was restored by the addition of an excess of calcium to the chelators (*P = 0.006). (D) Graph of phagocytosis inhibition by PS liposomes. Pretreatment of KIM-1–expressing cells with PS liposomes almost completely abolished KIM-1–mediated phagocytosis of apoptotic cells (A.C.) (**P = 0.007), while equimolar PC liposomes had no effect. Error bars indicate SD. (E) In vitro binding curves for purified KIM1-Fc binding to equimolar phospholipid coated ELISA plates. KIM1-Fc binding was detected by anti-human IgG — HRP conjugated antibody followed by a colorimetric assay. Note KIM1-Fc binds to aminophospholipids PS and PE but not PC or anionic phosphatidic acid (PA), whereas control Fc proteins, human IgG and c-Ret–Fc do not bind.