RESUMO
CD200 is a transmembrane protein broadly expressed on a variety of cell types, which delivers immunoregulatory signals through binding to receptors (CD200Rs) expressed on monocytes/myeloid cells and T lymphocytes. Signals delivered through the CD200:CD200R axis have been shown to play an important role in the regulation of anti-tumor immunity, and overexpression of CD200 has been reported in a number of malignancies, including CLL, as well as on cancer stem cells. We investigated the effect of CD200 blockade in vitro on a generation of CTL responses against a poorly immunogenic CD200+ lymphoma cell line and fresh cells obtained from CLL patients using anti-CD200 mAb and CD200-specific siRNAs. Suppression of functional expression of CD200 augmented killing of the CD200+ cells, as well as production of the inflammatory cytokines IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha by effector PBMCs. Killing was mediated by CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, and CD4+ T cells play an important role in CD200-mediated suppression of CTL responses. Our data suggest that CD200 blockade may represent a novel approach to clinical treatment of CLL.
