title: Induction, binding specificity and function of human ICOS.
abstract: Recently, we have identified the inducible co-stimulator (ICOS), an activation-dependent, T cell-specific cell surface molecule related to CD28 and CTLA-4. Detailed analysis of human ICOS presented here shows that it is a 55-60-kDa homodimer with differently N-glycosylated subunits of 27 and 29 kDa. ICOS requires both phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin for full induction, and is sensitive to Cyclosporin A. ICOS is up-regulated early on all T cells, including the CD28- subset, and continues to be expressed into later phases of T cell activation. On stimulation of T cells by antigen-presenting cells, the CD28/B7, but not the CD40 ligand/CD40 pathway is critically involved in the induction of ICOS. ICOS does not bind to B7-1 or B7-2, and CD28 does not bind to ICOS ligand; thus the CD28 and ICOS pathways do not cross-interact on the cell surface. In vivo, ICOS is expressed in the medulla of the fetal and newborn thymus, in the T cell zones of tonsils and lymph nodes, and in the apical light zones of germinal centers (predominant expression). Functionally, ICOS co-induces a variety of cytokines including IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, GM-CSF, but not IL-2, and superinduces IL-10. Furthermore, ICOS co-stimulation prevents the apoptosis of pre-activated T cells. The human ICOS gene maps to chromosome 2q33 - 34.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Immunology, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Beier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hutloff
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dittrich
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heuck
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rauch
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Büchner
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ludewig
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Ochs
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Mages
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kroczek
mesh_terms: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000502:physiology; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019281:Dimerization; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D060889:Inducible T-Cell Co-Stimulator Protein
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D019013:CD40 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; C556692:ICOS protein, human; D060889:Inducible T-Cell Co-Stimulator Protein; D016572:Cyclosporine