The role of CD44 in bidirectional crosstalk between smooth muscle and T lymphocytes

研究表明，活化的T细胞可以通过CD 44和整合素粘附于气道平滑肌细胞，并诱导气道平滑肌细胞增殖。我们的初步数据表明，表皮生长因子受体（EGFR）在驱动这种增殖的重要作用。有几种EGFR配体，表皮生长因子（EGF）、肝素结合表皮生长因子（HB-EGF）、双调蛋白（Areg）、β-纤维素、转化生长因子-α（TGF-α）和表皮调节蛋白。CD 4 + Th 2细胞已显示表达Areg。EGFR配体以前体形式存在于细胞膜中，所述前体形式由脱落酶如基质金属蛋白酶（MMP）释放。 几种配体在与ASM细胞共培养的CD 4 + T细胞中上调，并且T细胞被保护免于凋亡。

Studies have shown that activated T cells can adhere to airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells via CD44 and integrins and induce proliferation of ASM cells. Our preliminary data indicate an important role for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in driving this proliferation. There are several EGFR ligands, epidermal growth factor (EGF), heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF), amphiregulin (Areg), ß-cellulin, transforming growth factor-a (TGF- a) and epiregulin. CD4+ Th2 cells have been shown to express Areg. The EGFR ligands are present in the cell membrane in pro-forms that are released by sheddases such as the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Several ligands are upregulated in CD4+ T cells in co-culture with ASM cells and the T cells are protected from apoptosis.