CD28:B7 interactions promote T cell adhesion.

CD28 activation by antibody-mediated ligation has been shown to provide an important co-stimulatory signal for T cell adhesion to purified protein ligands. However, the effect of CD28 ligation by one of its natural ligands, B7.1, on T cell adhesion to other cells has not been studied. Therefore, in the present manuscript, we characterized the adhesive interactions between human T cells and B7.1-transfected major histocompatibility complex class II+ and class II- melanoma cells. In our studies, human T cells and T cell clones adhered to B7.1-transfected melanoma cells, but not to untransfected parental cells. The adhesive reaction in this model was rapid, occurring within 15 min, and was inhibited by anti-B7.1 antibody and soluble CTLA-4 immunoglobulin. Antibody inhibition studies demonstrated that adhesion between T cells and B7.1-transfected melanoma cells was mediated by interactions between LFA-1:ICAM-1 and CD2:LFA-3. Inhibition by pharmacological agents demonstrated that the CD28-induced adhesion required specific intracellular signaling events. A protein kinase C inhibitor, staurosporin, significantly inhibited T cell binding to transfected melanoma cells, while cyclosporin A and wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, did not. These results suggest that the presence of B7 on various cell populations may activate lymphocytes to adhere better, thus promoting activation, cytolysis, and migration.