B7DC/PDL2 promotes tumor immunity by a PD-1-independent mechanism. (17/481)

B7H1 (PDL1) and B7DC (PDL2) are two new members of the B7 family that can interact with PD-1, a putative negative regulator for immune function. Recent studies have provided evidence for inhibitory functions of both members via PD-1. Meanwhile, compelling evidence exists for costimulatory function of both members. Here we demonstrate that expression of B7DC on the tumor cells promotes CD8 T cell-mediated rejection of tumor cells, at both the induction and effector phase of antitumor immunity. Moreover, B7DC binds to PD-1(-/-) cells and enhances T cell killing in a PD-1-independent mechanism. Our results demonstrate a novel pathway for B7DC to promote tumor immunity and may reconcile the apparently contradictory findings on the function of B7DC.  (+info)

PD-1 inhibits antiviral immunity at the effector phase in the liver. (18/481)

Unlike naive T cells, effector T cells can be activated by either T cell receptor signal or costimulatory signal alone and therefore the absence of costimulatory molecules on tissue cells cannot explain the tolerance mechanism at the effector phase. Here we report that PD-L1, the ligand for the immunoinhibitory receptor PD-1, was expressed on vascular endothelium in peripheral tissues. Liver nonparenchymal cells including sinusoidal endothelial cells and Kupffer cells constitutively expressed PD-L1 and inhibited proliferation and cell division of activated T cells expressing PD-1. The absence of PD-1 induced proliferation of effector T cells in the adenovirus-infected liver and resulted in rapid clearance of the virus. These results indicate that PD-1 plays an important role in T cell tolerance at the effector phase and the blockade of the PD-1 pathway can augment antiviral immunity.  (+info)

The programmed death-1 (PD-1) pathway regulates autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. (19/481)

Programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor, an inhibitory costimulatory molecule found on activated T cells, has been demonstrated to play a role in the regulation of immune responses and peripheral tolerance. We investigated the role of this pathway in the development of autoimmune diabetes. PD-1 or PD-L1 but not PD-L2 blockade rapidly precipitated diabetes in prediabetic female nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice regardless of age (from 1 to 10-wk-old), although it was most pronounced in the older mice. By contrast, cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) blockade induced disease only in neonates. Male NOD mice also developed diabetes after PD-1-PD-L1 pathway blockade, but NOR mice, congenic to NOD but resistant to the development of diabetes, did not. Insulitis scores were significantly higher and frequency of interferon gamma-producing GAD-reactive splenocytes was increased after PD-1-PD-L1 pathway blockade compared with controls. Interestingly, PD-L1 but not PD-L2 was found to be expressed on inflamed islets of NOD mice. These data demonstrate a central role for PD-1-PD-L1 interaction in the regulation of induction and progression of autoimmune diabetes in the NOD mouse and provide the rationale to develop new therapies to target this costimulatory pathway in this disease.  (+info)

Critical role of the programmed death-1 (PD-1) pathway in regulation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. (20/481)

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is mediated by autoantigen-specific T cells dependent on critical costimulatory signals for their full activation and regulation. We report that the programmed death-1 (PD-1) costimulatory pathway plays a critical role in regulating peripheral tolerance in murine EAE and appears to be a major contributor to the resistance of disease induction in CD28-deficient mice. After immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) there was a progressive increase in expression of PD-1 and its ligand PD-L1 but not PD-L2 within the central nervous system (CNS) of mice with EAE, peaking after 3 wk. In both wild-type (WT) and CD28-deficient mice, PD-1 blockade resulted in accelerated and more severe disease with increased CNS lymphocyte infiltration. Worsening of disease after PD-1 blockade was associated with a heightened autoimmune response to MOG, manifested by increased frequency of interferon gamma-producing T cells, increased delayed-type hypersensitivity responses, and higher serum levels of anti-MOG antibody. In vivo blockade of PD-1 resulted in increased antigen-specific T cell expansion, activation, and cytokine production. Interestingly, PD-L2 but not PD-L1 blockade in WT animals also resulted in disease augmentation. Our data are the first demonstration that the PD-1 pathway plays a critical role in regulating EAE.  (+info)

Blockade of programmed death-1 engagement accelerates graft-versus-host disease lethality by an IFN-gamma-dependent mechanism. (21/481)

Acute graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) is influenced by pathways that can enhance or reduce lethality by providing positive or negative signals to donor T cells. To date, the only reported pathway to inhibit GVHD is the CTLA-4:B7 pathway. Because absence of the programmed death-1 (PD-1) pathway has been implicated in a predisposition to autoimmunity and hence a lack of negative signals, the effect of PD-1 pathway blockade on GVHD was explored using several distinct approaches. In each, GVHD lethality was markedly accelerated. Coblockade of CTLA-4 and PD-1 was additive in augmenting GVHD, indicating that these pathways are not fully redundant. Although neither perforin nor Fas ligand expression was required for GVHD enhancement, donor IFN-gamma production was required for optimal GVHD acceleration in the absence of PD-1 ligation. These data indicate that PD-1 ligation down-regulates GVHD through modulation of IFN-gamma production and suggest a novel therapeutic target for inhibiting GVHD lethality.  (+info)

B7x: a widely expressed B7 family member that inhibits T cell activation. (22/481)

B7 family proteins provide costimulatory signals that regulate T cell responses. Here we report the third set of B7 family-related T cell inhibitory molecules with the identification of a homolog of the B7 family, B7x. It is expressed in immune cells, nonlymphoid tissues, and some tumor cell lines. B7x inhibits cell-cycle progression, proliferation, and cytokine production of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. B7x binds a receptor that is expressed on activated, but not resting T cells that is distinct from known CD28 family members. Its receptor may be a recently identified inhibitory molecule, B and T lymphocyte attenuator. These studies identify a costimulatory pathway that may have a unique function in downregulation of tissue-specific autoimmunity and antitumor responses.  (+info)

Human muscle cells express a B7-related molecule, B7-H1, with strong negative immune regulatory potential: a novel mechanism of counterbalancing the immune attack in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. (23/481)

B7-H1 is a novel B7 family protein attributed to costimulatory and immune regulatory functions. Here we report that human myoblasts cultured from control subjects and patients with inflammatory myopathies as well as TE671 muscle rhabdomyosarcoma cells express high levels of B7-H1 after stimulation with the inflammatory cytokine IFN-gamma. Coculture experiments of MHC class I/II-positive myoblasts with CD4 and CD8 T cells in the presence of antigen demonstrated the functional consequences of muscle-related B7-H1 expression: production of inflammatory cytokines, IFN-gamma and IL-2, by CD4 as well CD8 T cells was markedly enhanced in the presence of a neutralizing anti-B7-H1 antibody. This observation was paralleled by an augmented expression of the T cell activation markers CD25, ICOS, and CD69, thus showing B7-H1-mediated inhibition of T cell activation. Further, we investigated 23 muscle biopsy specimens from patients with polymyositis (PM), inclusion body myositis (IBM), dermatomyositis (DM), and nonmyopathic controls for B7-H1 expression by immunohistochemistry: B7-H1 was expressed in PM, IBM, and DM specimens but not in noninflammatory and nonmyopathic controls. Staining was predominantly localized to areas of strong inflammation and to muscle cells as well as mononuclear cells. These data highlight the immune regulatory properties of muscle cells and suggest that B7-H1 expression represents an inhibitory mechanism induced upon inflammatory stimuli and aimed at protecting muscle fibers from immune aggression.  (+info)

Blockade of B7-H1 suppresses the development of chronic intestinal inflammation. (24/481)

A newly identified costimulatory molecule, programmed death-1 (PD-1), provides a negative signal that is essential for immune homeostasis. However, it has been suggested that its ligands, B7-H1 (PD-L1) and B7-dendritic cells (B7-DC; PD-L2), could also costimulate T cell proliferation and cytokine secretion. Here we demonstrate the involvement of PD-1/B7-H1 and B7-DC interaction in the development of colitis. We first examined the expression profiles of PD-1 and its ligands in both human inflammatory bowel disease and a murine chronic colitis model induced by adoptive transfer of CD4(+)CD45RB(high) T cells to SCID mice. Second, we assessed the therapeutic potential of neutralizing anti-B7-H1 and/or B7-DC mAbs using this colitis model. We found significantly increased expression of PD-1 on T cells and of B7-H1 on T, B, and macrophage/DCs in inflamed colon from both inflammatory bowel disease patients and colitic mice. Unexpectedly, the administration of anti-B7-H1, but not anti-B7-DC, mAb after transfer of CD4(+)CD45RB(high) T cells suppressed wasting disease with colitis, abrogated leukocyte infiltration, and reduced the production of IFN-gamma, IL-2, and TNF-alpha, but not IL-4 or IL-10, by lamina propria CD4(+) T cells. These data suggest that the interaction of PD-1/B7-H1, but not PD-1/B7-DC, might be involved in intestinal mucosal inflammation and also show a possible role of interaction between B7-H1 and an as yet unidentified receptor for B7-H1 in inducing T cell activation.  (+info)