LIGHT is constitutively expressed on T and NK cells in the human gut and can be induced by CD2-mediated signaling.

Abstract

The TNF superfamily cytokine, lymphotoxin-like inducible protein that competes with glycoprotein D for binding herpesvirus entry mediator on T cells (LIGHT; TNFSF14), can augment T cell responses inducing IFN-gamma production and can drive pathological gut inflammation when expressed as a transgene in mouse T cells. LIGHT expression by human intestinal T cells suggests the possibility that LIGHT may play a key role in regulation of the mucosal immune system. A nonenzymatic method was developed for the isolation of T cells from the human lamina propria, permitting analysis of native cell surface protein expression. Cell surface LIGHT was constitutively expressed on mucosal T and NK cells and a subpopulation of gut-homing CD4(+) T cells in the periphery. In addition, CD2-mediated stimulation induced efficient LIGHT expression on intestinal CD4(+) T cells, but not on peripheral blood T cells, suggesting a gut-specific, Ag-independent mechanism for LIGHT induction. By contrast, herpesvirus entry mediator expression on gut T cells was unperturbed, implicating the transcriptional regulation of LIGHT as a mechanism modulating signaling activity in the gut. Quantitative analysis of LIGHT mRNA in a cohort of inflammatory bowel disease patients indicated elevated expression in biopsies from small bowel and from inflamed sites, implicating LIGHT as a mediator of mucosal inflammation.

• Authors: Offer Cohavy, Jaclyn Zhou, Carl F Ware, Stephan R Targan
• Journal: Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950) (J Immunol) Vol. 174 Issue 2 Pg. 646-53 (Jan 15 2005) ISSN: 0022-1767 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15634882 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• CD2 Antigens
• Membrane Proteins
• RNA, Messenger
• Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
• Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14
• Receptors, Virus
• TNFRSF14 protein, human
• TNFSF14 protein, human
• Tnfrsf14 protein, mouse
• Tnfsf14 protein, mouse
• Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Topics

• Adult
• CD2 Antigens (physiology)
• CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes (immunology, metabolism)
• CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes (immunology, metabolism)
• Cells, Cultured
• Humans
• Inflammation (immunology, metabolism, pathology)
• Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (immunology, metabolism, pathology)
• Intestinal Mucosa (cytology, immunology, metabolism, pathology)
• Intestine, Small (immunology, metabolism, pathology)
• Killer Cells, Natural (immunology, metabolism)
• Lymphocyte Activation
• Membrane Proteins (biosynthesis, blood, genetics)
• RNA, Messenger (biosynthesis)
• Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor (biosynthesis)
• Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14
• Receptors, Virus (biosynthesis)
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Signal Transduction (immunology)
• T-Lymphocyte Subsets (immunology, metabolism)
• Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (biosynthesis, genetics)