title: The expression and distribution of immunomodulatory proteins B7-H1, B7-DC, B7-H3, and B7-H4 in rheumatoid synovium.
abstract: CD28/B7 signals have been shown to have the capacity to regulate T cell activation and participate in regulating the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the expression and anatomical distribution of some members of the B7 superfamily including B7-H1, B7-DC, B7-H3 and B7-H4 in RA synovium is still unclear. We analyzed the expression of these molecules in synovial tissues from RA patients. Immunohistochemistry showed that all of these molecules were observed in synovium. On the cellular level, all of them were found on cell membrane and in cytoplasma. The expression of B7-DC and B7-H3 was major on capillaries, synovicytes and infiltrated inflammatory cells in the lining layer, while B7-H1 and B7-H4 were detected in some inflammatory cells residing in the sublining and lining layer. Fluorescent dual staining indicated that all these molecules were principally associated with CD31(+) endothelial cells and CD68(+) macrophages. In addition, B7-H1 and B7-H3 were also observed on CD3(+) T cells (including CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells). Interestingly, B7-H1/B7-H4, B7-H3/B7-DC were co-expressed on the same cells. The characteristic expression and distribution of these molecules in synovium indicated that they probably have different effects during the progress of RA, and a clear understanding of their functional roles may further elucidate the pathogenesis of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, South-West Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
authors.forename: Guoning
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yongjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Guoyan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiaoren
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Shiwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yongwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D060887:B7 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D061027:Programmed Cell Death 1 Ligand 2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D060907:V-Set Domain-Containing T-Cell Activation Inhibitor 1 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D060887:B7 Antigens; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen; C423236:CD274 protein, human; C423237:CD276 protein, human; D061027:Programmed Cell Death 1 Ligand 2 Protein; D060907:V-Set Domain-Containing T-Cell Activation Inhibitor 1; C475826:VTCN1 protein, human