TIMs: central regulators of immune responses.
Exhaustion of T cell responses during chronic viral infections has been observed in both mouse and man and has been attributed to up-regulation of PD-1 on the surface of exhausted T cells. In patients with chronic human HIV infection, T cell exhaustion leads to opportunistic infections associated with AIDS. However, not all the exhausted T cells express PD-1, suggesting that other molecules may be involved in the phenotype. A new study now demonstrates a central role for T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein-3 (TIM-3) in T cell exhaustion during chronic HIV infection and suggests that TIM-3 may be a novel therapeutic target in chronic viral diseases.
Hafler
David A
DA
Center for Neurological Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Kuchroo
Vijay
V
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000502:physiology*; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology
D015703:Antigens, CD; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C448908:HAVCR2 protein, human; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C105992:PDCD1 protein, human; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D011991:Receptors, Virus