Abstract
The gene encoding the natural ligand of murine glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) was cloned and characterized. The putative GITR ligand (GITRL) is composed of 173 amino acids with features resembling those of type II membrane proteins and is 51% identical to the human activation-inducible TNF receptor (AITR) ligand, TL6. Expression of the GITRL is restricted to immature and mature splenic dendritic cells. GITRL binds GITR expressed on HEK 293 cells and triggers NF-κB activation. Functional studies reveal that soluble CD8-GITRL prevents CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cell-mediated suppressive activities.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Dr Shimon Sakaguchi for providing the DTA-1 hybridoma. This work was supported by the SRC Fund to the IRC at the University of Ulsan from KOSEF and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Korea, and US Public Health Service Grants R01EY013325 and P30EY02377 from the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Kim, J., Choi, B., Bae, J. et al. Cloning and characterization of GITR ligand. Genes Immun 4, 564–569 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gene.6364026
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gene.6364026
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