The co-receptor BTLA negatively regulates human Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell proliferation: a potential way of immune escape for lymphoma cells

J Gertner-Dardenne, C Fauriat… - Blood, The Journal …, 2013 - ashpublications.org
J Gertner-Dardenne, C Fauriat, F Orlanducci, ML Thibult, S Pastor, J Fitzgibbon
Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 2013ashpublications.org
Vγ9Vδ2 cells, the major γδ T-cell subset in human peripheral blood, represent a T-cell
subset that displays reactivity against microbial agents and tumors. The biology of Vγ9Vδ2 T
cells remains poorly understood. We show herein that the interaction between B-and T-
lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) and herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) is a major regulator of
Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell proliferation control. BTLA was strongly expressed at the surface of resting
Vγ9Vδ2 T cells and inversely correlated with T-cell differentiation. BTLA-HVEM blockade by …
Abstract
Vγ9Vδ2 cells, the major γδ T-cell subset in human peripheral blood, represent a T-cell subset that displays reactivity against microbial agents and tumors. The biology of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells remains poorly understood. We show herein that the interaction between B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) and herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) is a major regulator of Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell proliferation control. BTLA was strongly expressed at the surface of resting Vγ9Vδ2 T cells and inversely correlated with T-cell differentiation. BTLA-HVEM blockade by monoclonal antibodies resulted in the enhancement of Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell receptor–mediated signaling, whereas BTLA-HVEM interaction led to a decrease in phosphoantigen-mediated proliferation by inducing a partial S-phase arrest. Our data also suggested that BTLA-HVEM might participate in the control of γδ T-cell differentiation. In addition, the proliferation of autologous γδ T cells after exposition to lymphoma cells was dramatically reduced through BTLA-HVEM interaction. These data suggest that HVEM interaction with BTLA may play a role in lymphomagenesis by interfering with Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell proliferation. Moreover, BTLA stimulation of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells appears as a new possible mechanism of immune escape by lymphoma cells.
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