Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by accumulation of misfolded
proteins. Genetic studies implicate microglia, brain-resident phagocytic immune cells, in AD pathogenesis. As positive effectors, microglia clear toxic
proteins, whereas as negative effectors, they release proinflammatory mediators. An imbalance of these functions contributes to AD progression. Polymorphisms of human CD33, an inhibitory microglial receptor, are linked to AD susceptibility; higher CD33 expression correlates with increased AD risk. CD33, also called
Siglec-3, is a member of the
sialic acid-binding
immunoglobulin-type
lectin (
Siglec) family of immune regulatory receptors.
Siglec-mediated inhibition is initiated by binding to complementary sialoglycan
ligands in the tissue environment. Here, we identify a single
sialoglycoprotein in human cerebral cortex that binds CD33 as well as Siglec-8, the most abundant
Siglec on human microglia. The
ligand, which we term
receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase zeta (RPTPζ)S3L, is composed of sialylated
keratan sulfate chains carried on a minor
isoform/glycoform of RPTPζ (
phosphacan) and is found in the extracellular milieu of the human brain parenchyma. Brains from human AD donors had twofold higher levels of RPTPζS3L than age-matched control donors, raising the possibility that RPTPζS3L overexpression limits misfolded
protein clearance contributing to AD pathology. Mice express the same structure, a sialylated
keratan sulfate RPTPζ
isoform, that binds mouse
Siglec-F and crossreacts with human CD33 and Siglec-8. Brains from mice engineered to lack RPTPζ, the
sialyltransferase St3gal4, or the
keratan sulfate sulfotransferase Chst1 lacked
Siglec binding, establishing the
ligand structure. The unique CD33 and Siglec-8
ligand, RPTPζS3L, may contribute to AD progression.