Expression of the CD2 activation epitope T11-3 (CD2R) on T cells in rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, and Lyme disease: phenotypic and functional analysis.
CD2R is an activation-associated epitope unmasked by a conformational change of the CD2 cell-surface glycoprotein. In spite of elaborate studies on the role of CD2 and CD2R in adhesion and stimulation of T cells in vitro, no instances of CD2R expression in vivo were known to date. We report high levels of CD2R observed on blood and synovial fluid T cells in rheumatoid arthritis and on peripheral blood T cells in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, and Lyme disease. In vivo, expression of CD2R was restricted to T cells, not limited to a particular T-cell subset and not correlated with the expression of p55 interleukin 2R (IL-2R) (CD25) or major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules. When stimulated to proliferation via CD2 or CD3, ex vivo CD2R+ T cells showed the same basic activation requirements as CD2R-T cells.
Potocnik
A J
AJ
Max-Planck-Society Research Unit for Rheumatology/Immunology, University of Erlangen, Germany.
Menninger
H
H
Yang
S Y
SY
Pirner
K
K
Krause
A
A
Burmester
G R
GR
Bröker
B M
BM
Hept
P
P
Weseloh
G
G
Michels
H
H
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000502:physiology*; D001168:Arthritis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology; D018801:CD2 Antigens; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D010641:Phenotype; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000502:physiology*; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D018801:CD2 Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic