1. Academic Validation
  2. Th1-specific cell surface protein Tim-3 regulates macrophage activation and severity of an autoimmune disease

Th1-specific cell surface protein Tim-3 regulates macrophage activation and severity of an autoimmune disease

  • Nature. 2002 Jan 31;415(6871):536-41. doi: 10.1038/415536a.
Laurent Monney 1 Catherine A Sabatos Jason L Gaglia Akemi Ryu Hanspeter Waldner Tatyana Chernova Stephen Manning Edward A Greenfield Anthony J Coyle Raymond A Sobel Gordon J Freeman Vijay K Kuchroo
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Abstract

Activation of naive CD4(+) T-helper cells results in the development of at least two distinct effector populations, Th1 and Th2 cells. Th1 cells produce cytokines (interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-2, tumour-necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and lymphotoxin) that are commonly associated with cell-mediated immune responses against intracellular pathogens, delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions, and induction of organ-specific autoimmune diseases. Th2 cells produce cytokines (IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13) that are crucial for control of extracellular helminthic infections and promote atopic and allergic diseases. Although much is known about the functions of these two subsets of T-helper cells, there are few known surface molecules that distinguish between them. We report here the identification and characterization of a transmembrane protein, TIM-3, which contains an immunoglobulin and a mucin-like domain and is expressed on differentiated Th1 cells. In vivo administration of antibody to TIM-3 enhances the clinical and pathological severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a Th1-dependent autoimmune disease, and increases the number and activation level of macrophages. TIM-3 may have an important role in the induction of autoimmune diseases by regulating macrophage activation and/or function.

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