title: Activation of c-jun N-terminal kinase by 4-1BB (CD137), a T cell co-stimulatory molecule.
abstract: It has been widely accepted that T cell activation requires two signals; one from the binding of the antigen/major histocompatibility complex to the T-cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 complex and the other from the interaction between a surface molecule on antigen presenting cells and its receptor on T cells. The second signal is considered as co-stimulatory and the B7/CD28 pair has been well studied as a prototype. Recently 4-1BB (CD137) has been characterized as another co-stimulatory molecule for T cell activation. However, unlike the CD28/B7 pair, 4-1BB and its ligand 4-1BBL constitute a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor/TNF pair superfamily. The signaling mechanism of 4-1BB has not been revealed in detail. To investigate whether 4-1BB takes the signaling pathways analogous to those for TNF receptors, we generated polyclonal antibodies against human 4-1BB and 4-1BBL and established stable transfectants of the receptor and the ligand with a high level of cell surface expression. Over-expression of h4-1BB was found to result in the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the human embryonic kidney cell line 293. In T cells, it has been previously demonstrated that JNK activation requires dual signals such as the ligation of TCR/CD3 complex plus CD28 co-stimulation or PMA plus ionomycin. The JNK activation by 4-1BB in Jurkat T cells was also found to require stimulation of the TCR/CD3 complex, consistent with the notion that 4-1BB functions as a co-stimulatory molecule for T cell activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Dentistry, Chosun University, Kwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kwack
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D053330:4-1BB Ligand; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002457:Cell Extracts; D002460:Cell Line; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008024:Ligands; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010957:Plasmids; D011817:Rabbits; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D014162:Transfection; D053261:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 9; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D053330:4-1BB Ligand; D000906:Antibodies; D015703:Antigens, CD; D002457:Cell Extracts; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C505714:TNFRSF9 protein, human; C505974:TNFSF9 protein, human; D053261:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 9; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases