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

研究表明，活化的T细胞可通过CD44和整合素等途径与气道平滑肌细胞黏附，并诱导其增殖。我们的初步数据表明，表皮生长因子受体(EGFR)在驱动这种增殖中起着重要作用。有几种EGFR的配体，即表皮生长因子(EGF)、肝素结合的表皮生长因子(HB-EGF)、两用调节素(ARIG)、？细胞因子、转化生长因子-α(TGF-α)和表皮调节素。已有研究表明，CD4+Th2细胞表达ARG。EGFR配体以前体形式存在于细胞膜上，由基质金属蛋白酶(MMPs)等脱落酶释放。在与ASM细胞共同培养的过程中，CD4+T细胞中的几种配体表达上调，从而保护T细胞免受凋亡。

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.