Thrombospondin (TSP)-1 has been reported to modulate T cell behavior both positively and negatively. We found that these opposing responses arise from interactions of TSP1 with two different T cell receptors. The integrin α4β1 recognizes an LDVP sequence in the NH2-terminal domain of TSP1 and was required for stimulation of T cell adhesion, chemotaxis, and matrix metalloproteinase gene expression by TSP1. Recognition of TSP1 by T cells depended on the activation state of α4β1 integrin, and TSP1 inhibited interaction of activated α4β1 integrin on T cells with its counter receptor vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. The α4β1 integrin recognition site is conserved in TSP2. A recombinant piece of TSP2 containing this sequence replicated the α4β1 integrin–dependent activities of TSP1. The β1 integrin recognition sites in TSP1, however, were neither necessary nor sufficient for inhibition of T cell proliferation and T cell antigen receptor signaling by TSP1. A second TSP1 receptor, CD47, was not required for some stimulatory responses to TSP1 but played a significant role in its T cell antigen receptor antagonist and antiproliferative activities. Modulating the relative expression or function of these two TSP receptors could therefore alter the direction or magnitude of T cell responses to TSPs.

Cell surface proteoglycans on T cells contribute to retroviral infection, binding of chemokines and other proteins, and are necessary for some T cell responses to the matricellular glycoprotein thrombospondin-1. The major cell surface proteoglycans expressed by primary T cells and Jurkat T cells have an apparent M r > 200,000 and are modified with chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate chains. Thrombospondin-1 bound in a heparin-inhibitable manner to this proteoglycan and to a soluble form released into the medium. Based on mass spectrometry, knockdown, and immunochemical analyses, the proteoglycan contains two major core proteins as follows: amyloid precursor-like protein-2 (APLP2, apparent M r 230,000) and CD47 (apparent M r > 250,000). CD47 is a known thrombospondin-1 receptor but was not previously reported to be a proteoglycan. This proteoglycan isoform of CD47 is widely expressed on vascular cells. Mutagenesis identified glycosaminoglycan modification of CD47 at Ser 64 and Ser 79 . Inhibition of T cell receptor signaling by thrombospondin-1 was lost in CD47-deficient T cells that express the proteoglycan isoform of APLP2, indicating that binding to APLP2 is not sufficient. Inhibition of CD69 induction was restored in CD47-deficient cells by re-expressing CD47 or an S79A mutant but not by the S64A mutant. Therefore, inhibition of T cell receptor signaling by thrombospondin-1 is mediated by CD47 and requires its modification at Ser 64 .Cell surface proteoglycans play critical roles in cell-matrix interactions. They act as co-receptors for some pathogens and growth and motility factors and regulate the functions of other cell surface signaling receptors (reviewed in Refs. 1-4). Chondroitin sulfate or heparan sulfate chains are attached through a conserved core oligosaccharide sequence to specific Ser residues on the core proteins (5). The most prevalent cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) 5 are the syndecans and glypicans, but a number of additional cell surface proteins can be specifically modified with heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in certain cells and tissues (6). CD4 ϩ T cells express highly sulfated heparan sulfate chains because of their high expression of the N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase NDST2 and the 3-O-sulfotransferases 3-OST3 (7). T cell HSPGs have been identified as receptors for histones (8) and cyclophilin B (9, 10) and serve as co-receptors for heparinbinding chemokines such as regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) (11).T cell HSPGs are also co-receptors for retroviral infection. An unidentified cell surface HSPG expressed by the H9 T cell line interacts with the V3 region of the HIV1 envelope gp120-gp41, and heparitinase treatment inhibited binding and entry of the virus into H9 cells (12). The fusion peptide domain of gp41 also interacts specifically with an HSPG on T cells (13). A subsequent study concluded that syndecan functions in trans to promote HIV infection of T cells (14). Similar HSPG binding was demonstrated for the hu...

Nitric oxide (NO) locally regulates vascular resistance and blood pressure by modulating blood vessel tone. Thrombospondin-1 signaling via its receptor CD47 locally limits the ability of NO to relax vascular smooth muscle cells and increase regional blood flow in ischemic tissues. To determine whether thrombospondin-1 plays a broader role in central cardiovascular physiology, we examined vasoactive stress responses in mice lacking thrombospondin-1 or CD47. Mice lacking thrombospondin-1 exhibit activity-associated increases in heart rate, central diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure and a constant decrease in pulse pressure. CD47-deficient mice have normal central pulse pressure but elevated resting peripheral blood pressure. Both null mice show exaggerated decreases in peripheral blood pressure and increased cardiac output and ejection fraction in response to NO. Autonomic blockade also induces exaggerated hypotensive responses in awake thrombospondin-1 null and CD47 null mice. Both null mice exhibit a greater hypotensive response to isoflurane, and autonomic blockage under isoflurane anesthesia leads to premature death of thrombospondin-1 null mice. Conversely, the hypertensive response to epinephrine is attenuated in thrombospondin-1 null mice. Thus, the matricellular protein thrombospondin-1 and its receptor CD47 serve as acute physiological regulators of blood pressure and exert a vasopressor activity to maintain global hemodynamics under stress.