Research progress in the immunomodulatory function of adenosine deaminase / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Adenosine, a purine nucleoside present in human cells, has a variety of biological functions and serves as an important immune regulator. It plays an important role in the differentiation, maturation and migration of immune cells, especially lymphocytes. Adenosine could bind to different receptors on the cell membrane to produce different effects. Extracellular adenosine level is a key factor in determining the subtypes of receptor. It is affected by synthesis, transport and metabolism, and closely related to the tissue energy state. As a key enzyme in adenosine metabolism pathway, adenosine deaminase has been proved to affect the immune function of adenosine by regulating extracellular adenosine level. In the past, researches on adenosine deaminase mainly focused on enzyme activity. In recent years, researchers have found other important functions of adenosine deaminase and classify it as moonlighting protein. Adenosine deaminase affects the development, proliferation, differentiation and functional activation of immune cells by binding to the anchoring proteins CD26 and adenosine receptors on the cell surface, exerting immune regulatory functions independently of its catalytic functions. In recent years, the immunomodulatory functions of adenosine deaminase have attracted increasing attention. This paper reviewed the new progress in the regulatory functions of adenosine deaminase in the immune system.