LIGHT-HVEM—BTLA共信号分子的研究进展

BTLA是新近发现的一个CD28超家族共抑制分子,它的配体不是B7家族成员而是TNF受体超家族成员HVEM。HVEM同时还存在一个TNF超家族的配体,即T细胞上可诱导表达的与HSV的糖蛋白D竞争结合HVEM的淋巴毒素类似物（LIGHT）。HVEM可以作为一个分子开关,通过结合LIGHT或BTLA7E免疫调节中发挥不同的作用。     

B/T细胞弱化分子-CD28超家族一个新的共抑制分子的研究进展

B／T细胞弱化分子（BTLA）是最近发现的CD28家族共抑制分子，主要表达于B细胞、T细胞和抗原递呈细胞表面。BTLA的配体是TNF超家族成员疱疹病毒进入介质（HVEM）。HVEM-BTLA信号途径对T、B细胞的活化起负调节作用，在调节机体免疫应答，维持自身免疫稳定中起着十分重要的作用。深入研究BTLA的生物学功能及其作用机制对探寻治疗肿瘤、自身免疫性疾病、移植排斥反应、变态反应性疾病等的新干预措施具有重要意义。     

BTLA信号对T细胞活化的起始和早期阶段的调节作用

目的:观察BTLA分子在T细胞上的表达并探讨其在各个阶段不同时相对T细胞活化的抑制。方法:分离人外周血单个核细胞,经阴性选择磁珠分离纯化获得T淋巴细胞。检测T细胞上BTLA、CTLA-4和PD-1的表达;用CD3抗体刺激T细胞活化,比较BTLA、CTLA-4和PD-1在T细胞活化过程中的动态表达。CD3抗体联合CD28抗体活化T细胞,在不同的活化时间,MTT法检测BTLA单抗8H9对T细胞增殖的影响。GM-CSF和IL-4体外诱导单核细胞分化成未成熟DC,CD40抗体刺激DC成熟,流式检测HVEM在DC上的表达。用DC诱导T细胞活化,加入游离8H9或抗HVEM抗体,阻断HVEM和BTLA结合,MTT法检测T细胞增殖。结果:静止T细胞组成性高表达BTLA,不表达CTLA-4和PD-1分子。T细胞活化后,BTLA分子表达有所降低,然后迅速回升至高水平。CTLA-4、PD-1分子在活化后两天几乎不表达,第三天开始表达并逐渐上升。8H9可以抑制CD3和CD28抗体活化的T细胞增殖。CD3和CD28抗体预先活化T细胞24小时或48小时后,再加入8H9仍然具有抑制效应,但不如在T细胞活化之初加入8H9的抑制效应。单核细胞诱导的不成熟DC上高表达HVEM,当DC成熟后,HVEM表达降低。用游离8H9或HVEM抗体阻断DC表面HVEM与T细胞表面BTLA结合,48小时之内均明显增强了DC诱导的T细胞增殖。结论:BTLA信号可以提高T细胞的活化阈值,在T细胞活化的起始和早期阶段发挥重要的负性调控作用。     

自身免疫疾病中的LIGHT-LTβR/HVEM信号通路的研究进展

LIGHT( TNFSF14)的两个主要受体:HVEM和LTβR,均为TNFR超家族成员.LIGHT-HVEM途径是重要的T细胞共刺激信号途径,而LIGHT-LTβR在改变树突细胞和间质细胞的功能方面发挥重要作用.HVEM还可与两个免疫球蛋白超基因家族成员即抑制T细胞活化的BTLA和CD160相互作用,HVEM在刺激和抑制信号之间充当一种分子开关.人和实验动物模型研究显示LIGHT-LTβR/HVEM途径在自身免疫疾病的炎症反应和病理发生中起重要的免疫调节作用.因此,在免疫相关疾病的免疫干预治疗中,LIGHT是一种良好的潜在靶标.本文就LIGHT-LTβR/HVEM途径在免疫相关疾病中作用的最新研究进展做一综述.     

B和T淋巴细胞衰减因子(BTLA)在类风湿关节炎滑膜组织的表达

目的:探讨CD28家族共抑制分子B和T淋巴细胞衰减因子在类风湿关节炎(RA)患者滑膜组织内的表达。方法:免疫组化法检测RA患者滑膜组织BTLA的表达;并使用免疫荧光法检测BTLA的细胞定位及分布。结果:免疫组化结果证实,RA患者滑膜组织中有大量的BTLA阳性细胞,形态观察提示这些阳性的细胞主要是淋巴结处的淋巴细胞及巨噬细胞;免疫荧光分析进一步表明这些BTLA+细胞主要为CD3+T细胞及CD68+巨噬细胞,少数CD31+内皮细胞也表达BTLA。此外,对比其他B7家族共刺激分子在滑膜组织中的分布,免疫荧光发现BTLA共表达于B7-H1+,B7-H4+及HVEM+细胞,但不表达于B7-DC+及B7-H3+细胞。结论:关节炎滑膜组织内有大量BTLA阳性细胞,提示BTLA有可能参与并调节了关节炎的病理进程。     

人共信号分子HVEM在外周血PBMC表达特性及其对T细胞的生物学作用

HVEM既可作为受体与LIGHT作用传递正性共刺激信号,又能作为配体作用于BTLA介导负性共抑制信号。为深入探讨HVEM对T细胞复杂而又独特的调控作用,本文研究了HVEM在免疫细胞上的表达特性,初步探讨了T细胞表达的HVEM分子所介导的生物学作用。采用LPS刺激人新鲜PBMC,以及PHA或PMA/IM刺激活化T细胞;间接免疫荧光标记和流式细胞术检测HVEM表达;MTT法分析T细胞增殖作用。结果显示,HVEM在不同条件刺激活化的T细胞表面均呈现先上调后下调表达;T细胞增殖试验表明,基因转染细胞L929/LIGHT能够明显促进T细胞的增殖及IL-2和IFN-γ的分泌,而以抗人BTLA单抗在一定程度上模拟HVEM所介导的BTLA/HVEM信号能够明显抑制T细胞增殖作用及细胞因子IL-2、IFN-γ和IL-10的产生。     

ICOS-B7h研究进展

T细胞激活依赖的共刺激分子有很多种，主要由CD28-B7超家族和肿瘤坏死因子(TNF)受体．配体超家族组成。其中CD28与配体B7-1／2为主要的共刺激途径，所产生的共刺激信号对初始T细胞(naive)的活化至关重要。     

BTLA信号通路在免疫调节中的作用

BTLA(CD272)属于免疫球蛋白超家族成员,广泛表达于免疫细胞,其配体为HVEM。BTLA基因敲除小鼠淋巴器官发育基本正常,但TCR诱导的免疫应答反应显著增强,CD8记忆T细胞数量显著增多;抗原特异性IgG反应增强,并逐步出现自身抗体、高丙球蛋白血症以及自身免疫性肝炎样疾病。这些结果证明,BTLA具有抑制细胞及体液免疫反应的功能。BTLA信号通路与部分自身免疫性疾病、艾滋病等感染性疾病、肿瘤和移植物抗宿主病等的发生和发展密切相关,调控BTLA信号通路有望用于相关疾病的免疫治疗。     

肿瘤坏死因子受体超家族成员HVEM/TR2研究进展

HVEM/TR2是近来发现的肿瘤坏死因子受体超家族成员,可与单纯疱疹病毒包膜糖蛋白D(HSV-gD)结合介导HSV感染细胞过程;可与其配体LIGHT结合刺激T细胞增殖,在肿瘤免疫、移植免疫、炎症反应、自身免疫性疾病的发生及胸腺阴性选择等过程中发挥重要的生物学作用。另外,新近发现它可与另一配体BTLA结合而抑制T细胞增殖,可能为自身免疫病的治疗提供新思路。     

BTLA/HVEM抑制信号通路研究进展

BTLA是新近发现的Ig家族的抑制性受体,其唯一配体HVEM,来自TNF受体超家族,可与TNF家族的LIGHT结合提供正向刺激信号.而BTLA与HVEM的相互作用传递抑制信号下调淋巴细胞的免疫应答.这两个来自不同家族的受体间的负向调节作用,改变了对传统抑制性信号通路作用方式的看法.通过介绍目前对其生物学特性、信号传导机制及与相关疾病关系的研究,为进一步深入了解免疫应答的调控机制及寻找治疗自身免疫病、移植排斥、肿瘤等疾病的新方法提供参考.     

新型负性共刺激分子-BTLA的研究进展

BTLA(B and T lymphocyte attenuator)是近年发现的免疫球蛋白表面分子家族成员,其与细胞毒T淋巴细胞抗原-4(CTLA-4)、程序坏死因子-1(PD-1)构成了一组抑制性受体,主要在T、B淋巴细胞上表达.BTLA4与其配体结合后,对活化的T细胞可产生抑制效应,从而防止过强的细胞免疫应答,维持耐受,保护机体免受自身免疫反应的损伤.目前对于BTLA的配体,以及BTLA与配体相互作用的确切机制尚未完全明确,故就近年来关于BTLA的分子结构,表达与分布情况,配体分子,及其在免疫应答中作用的研究进展作一综述.     

CD160 inhibits activation of human CD4+ T cells through interaction with herpesvirus entry mediator

CD160, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, is expressed on both cytolytic lymphocytes and some unstimulated CD4+ T cells. Here we show that CD160 expression was increased after activation of human CD4+ T cells and that crosslinking CD160 with monoclonal antibody strongly inhibited CD3- and CD28-mediated activation. We found that herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) was a ligand of CD160 that acted as a 'bidirectional switch' for T cell activation, producing a positive or negative outcome depending on the engagement of HVEM by CD160 and known HVEM ligands such as B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) and the T lymphocyte receptor LIGHT. Inhibition of CD4+ T cell activation by HVEM-transfected cells was dependent on CD160 and BTLA; when the cysteine-rich domain 1 of HVEM was deleted, this inhibition was lost, resulting in strong T cell activation. CD160 thus serves as a negative regulator of CD4+ T cell activation through its interaction with HVEM.     

BTLA: a new inhibitory receptor with a B7-like ligand

The B and T lymphocyte attenuator, BTLA, is a recently discovered Ig superfamily member. BTLA engagement results in downregulation of T-cell activation, and mice deficient in BTLA show increased incidence and severity of autoimmune disorders. A novel B7 family member, B7x (B7S1, B7-H4), has been proposed as the ligand for BTLA. A B7x-Ig fusion protein inhibits T-cell activation and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production. Thus, cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), programmed death-1 (PD-1) and BTLA comprise an expanding set of inhibitory receptors expressed on lymphocytes.     

Costimulatory receptors in jawed vertebrates: conserved CD28, odd CTLA4 and multiple BTLAs

CD28 family of costimulatory receptors is comprised of molecules with a single V-type extracellular Ig domain, a transmembrane and an intracytoplasmic region with signaling motifs. CD28 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA4) homologs have been recently identified in rainbow trout. Other sequences similar to mammalian CD28 family members have now been identified using teleost, Xenopus and chicken databases. CD28- and CTLA4 homologs were found in all vertebrate classes whereas inducible costimulatory signal (ICOS) was restricted to tetrapods, and programmed cell death-1 (PD1) was limited to mammals and chicken. Multiple B and T Lymphocyte Attenuator (BTLA) sequences were found in teleosts, but not in Xenopus or in avian genomes. The intron/exon structure of btlas was different from that of cd28 and other members of the family. The Ig domain encoded in all the btla genes has features of the C-type structure, which suggests that BTLA does not belong to the CD28 family. The genomic localization of these genes in vertebrate genomes supports the split between the BTLA and CD28 families.     

Distinct expression and inhibitory function of B and T lymphocyte attenuator on human T cells

B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) has been recently identified as a new inhibitory receptor of the CD28 superfamily, with similarities to cytotoxic T lymphocyte activation antigen (CTLA)-4 and programmed death (PD)-1. Engagement of BTLA on T lymphocytes can profoundly reduce the T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated activation. In this study, we generated four monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against human BTLA. Using the produced mAb 8H9, the BTLA molecule was found to distinctly express on many subgroups of immunocytes and show a regulatory expression, which was in accordance with its unique ligand herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) in the process of T cell activation. In addition, the expression of BTLA was increased in the CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells of pleural fluid in lung cancer patients. Furthermore, we showed that the BTLA-induced negative signals could be triggered by mAb 7D7. Cross-linking of BTLA with mAb 7D7 suppressed T lymphocyte proliferation, downregulated the expression of T cell activation marker CD25, and inhibited the production of interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and IL-10.     

B and T lymphocyte attenuator regulates CD8+ T cell-intrinsic homeostasis and memory cell generation

B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) is a negative regulator of T cell activation, but its function in vivo is not well characterized. Here we show that mice deficient in full-length BTLA or its ligand, herpesvirus entry mediator, had increased number of memory CD8(+) T cells. The memory CD8(+) T cell phenotype resulted from a T cell-intrinsic perturbation of the CD8(+) T cell pool. Naive BTLA-deficient CD8(+) T cells were more efficient than wild-type cells at generating memory in a competitive antigen-specific system. This effect was independent of the initial expansion of the responding antigen-specific T cell population. In addition, BTLA negatively regulated antigen-independent homeostatic expansion of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. These results emphasize two central functions of BTLA in limiting T cell activity in vivo.     

B7-H3: a costimulatory molecule for T cell activation and IFN-gamma production

We describe here a newly identified member of the human B7 family, designated B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3), that shares 20-27% amino acid identity with other B7 family members. B7-H3 mRNA is not detectable in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, although it is found in various normal tissues and in several tumor cell lines. Expression of B7-H3 protein, however, can be induced on dendritic cells (DCs) and monocytes by inflammatory cytokines and a combination of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) + ionomycin. Soluble B7-H3 protein binds a putative counter-receptor on activated T cells that is distinct from CD28, cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), inducible costimulator (ICOS) and PD-1. B7-H3 costimulates proliferation of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, enhances the induction of cytotoxic T cells and selectively stimulates interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) production in the presence of T cell receptor signaling. In contrast, inclusion of antisense B7-H3 oligonucleotides decreases the expression of B7-H3 on DCs and inhibits IFN-gamma production by DC-stimulated allogeneic T cells.Thus, we describe a newly identified costimulatory pathway that may participate in the regulation of cell-mediated immune responses.