Viral protein K5 modulates T-cell costimulation

A viral protein that selectively downregulates ICAM-1 and B7-2 and modulates T cell costimulation.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated (KS-associated) herpesvirus (KSHV) is a B-lymphotropic agent linked to AIDS-related lymphoproliferative disorders and KS. We and others have earlier identified two viral genes, K3 and K5, that encode endoplasmic reticulum proteins that downregulate surface MHC-I chains by enhancing their endocytosis. Here we have examined the ability of these proteins to influence th...

Endothelial Cell Costimulation of T Cell

Targeting T cell costimulation to prevent atherothrombosis.

Inflammation plays a key role in atherogenesis and precipitation of atherothrombosis. Immune cells, including macrophages and T cells, infiltrate the affected vascular wall, and inflammation drives build-up of atherosclerotic plaques.1–3 This concept of immune activation in atherosclerosis has become accepted, but specific therapy directed at inflammatory mechanisms is yet lacking.4 T cell acti...

Ephrin B2 induces T cell costimulation.

Eph kinases form the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases, and their ligands are ephrins (EFNs), which are cell surface proteins. Some Eph kinases and EFNs are expressed on T cells, B cells, and dendritic cells, but their functions in the immune system are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of EFNB2 on murine T cells. EFNB2 mRNA was expressed in the cortex of the ...

T-cell costimulation and coinhibition in atherosclerosis.

Evidence from many human and rodent studies has established that T lymphocytes enhance inflammation in atherosclerotic plaques and contribute to lesion progression and remodeling. Recent work also indicates that regulatory T cells are important in limiting proatherogenic T-cell responses. Given the important role of T cells in atherosclerosis, there is a need to fully understand how proatheroge...