B7-H1 is a recently described B7-like molecule that costimulates T-cell growth and cytokine secretion without binding to CD28, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), and inducible costimulator (ICOS). In this report, a mouse homologue of human B7-H1 is identified, and its immunologic functions are studied in vitro and in vivo. Mouse B7-H1 shares 69% amino acid homology to the human counterpart. Similar to human B7-H1, mouse B7-H1 can be induced to express on macrophages, T cells, and B cells and to enhance T-cell proliferation and secretion of interleukin-10 (IL-10), interferon-␥, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor but not IL-2 and IL-4. Furthermore, B7-H1 preferentially costimulates CD4 ؉ T cells independently of CD28 and enhances mixed lymphocyte responses to allogeneic antigens. In contrast to B7-1, expression of B7-H1 on murine P815 tumor cells by transfection fails to increase allogeneic and syngeneic cytolytic T-cell responses in vitro and in vivo. Administration of B7-H1Ig fusion protein, however, enhances keyhole limpet hemocyaninspecific T-cell proliferation and 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl-specific immunoglobulin G2a antibody production. The study thus identifies a unique costimulatory pathway that preferentially affects T-helper cell functions.
IntroductionThe antigen-specific induction of proliferation and differentiation of lymphocytes requires a first signal delivered through T-cell or B-cell receptor together with a second, costimulatory signal. Stimulation of T cells by antigen in the absence of costimulation can result in unproductive T-cell responses or T-cell anergy. Engagement of CD28 by its natural ligand B7-1 or B7-2 promotes T-cell activation, proliferation, and the differentiation of effector functions for both CD4 ϩ and CD8 ϩ T cells. 1-3 CD28 triggering augments both Th1 and Th2 cytokine secretion including interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-␥ (IFN-␥), granulocytemacrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), tumor necrosis factor-␣ (TNF-␣), IL-4, IL-5, and IL-6 2,4 and up-regulates bcl-x L expression, which promotes T-cell survival. 5 Expression of B7-1 or B7-2 by tumor cells can enhance CD8 ϩ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) generation and differentiation in vitro and in vivo. [6][7][8][9][10] CTLA-4, the second receptor for B7-1 and B7-2, is believed to inhibit T-cell activation and IL-2 production by delivering an inhibitory signal. 11 Recently, several new B7-like molecules have been described to costimulate T-cell growth and cytokine production by binding to receptors other than CD28 and CTLA-4. Human and mouse B7h/B7RP-1 (GL50/LICOS/B7-H2) interact with an inducible receptor, ICOS, on T cells to costimulate T-cell growth in vitro. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18] More importantly, mice treated with B7RP-1 fusion protein had enhanced experimental contact hypersensitivity, and overexpression of soluble B7RP-1 in transgenic mice showed hyperplasia on several secondary lymphoid organs. 13 Taken together, these data suggest that the interaction between B7h/B7RP-1 and ICOS regulat...