Virtually no information is available on the regulation and functions of CD38 antigen in hematopoietic cells.
The NADase specifically induced by retinoic acid appeared to be encoded by human leukocyte cell surface antigen CD38 as follows.
An ecto-enzyme of NAD glycohydrolase induced by retinoic acid in human leukemic HL-60 cells is attributed to the molecule of leukocyte cell surface antigen CD38 (Kontani , K. , et al.
Upon exposure of T cells to NAD , the substrate for ADP-ribosylation , ART2 catalyzes ADP-ribosylation of the P2X7 purinoceptor and other functionally important cell surface proteins.
In the presence of (adenine-U-14C) NAD , E. coli enterotoxin catalyzed the transfer of the radiolabel to proteins ; the ADP-ribosylation of proteins was inhibited by arginine methyl ester , an alternative substrate.