Background
Myeloid cell surface antigen CD33 is also known as SIGLEC3, Siglecs (sialic acid binding Iglike lectins) and GP67, is a single-pass type I membrane protein which belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily and SIGLEC (sialic acid binding Ig-like lectin) family. Human CD33 / Siglec-3 cDNA encodes a 364 amino acid (aa) polypeptide with a hydrophobic signal peptide, an N-terminal Ig-like V-type domain, one Ig-like C2-type domains, a transmembrane region and a cytoplasmic tail. CD33 / Siglec-3 usually considered myeloid-specific, but it can also be found on some lymphoid cells. In the immune response, CD33 / Siglec-3 may act as an inhibitory receptor upon ligand induced tyrosine phosphorylation by recruiting cytoplasmic phosphatase(s) via their SH2 domain(s) that block signal transduction through dephosphorylation of signaling molecules. CD33 / Siglec-3 induces apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia.