Download files
Abstract
CD4 is a co-receptor for binding of T cells to antigen-presenting cells (APC) and the primary receptor for human immunodeficiency virus-I. The disulfide bond in the second extracellular domain (D2) of CD4 is reduced on the cell surface, which leads to formation of disulfide-linked homodimers. A large conformational change must take place in D2 to allow for formation of the disulfide-linked dimer. Domain swapping of D2 is the most likely candidate for the conformational change leading to formation of two disulfide-bonds between Cysl30 in one monomer and Cysl59 in the other one (Cys133 and Cysl62 in the mouse CD4). Thus, we hypothesized that the domain swapping of D2 in CD4 regulates its co-receptor function of antigenspecific T cell activation. We found that mild reduction of the extracellular part of human CD4 resulted in formation of disulfide-linked dimers. We then tested the functional significance of dimer formation for co-receptor function using the engineered Jurkat T cell system by expressing wild-type or disulfide-bond mutant mouse CD4. Eliminating the D2 disulfide bond markedly impaired CD4's coreceptor function as assessed by antigen-specific IL-2 production. Exogenous wild type thioredoxin, but not redox-inactive thioredoxin, could inhibit the CD4-mediated IL-2 production, suggesting that the redox state of D2 disulfide bond is controlled by this oxidoreductase. Furthermore, structural modeling of the complex of the T cell receptor and domain-swapped CD4 dimer bound to class II major histocompatibility complex and antigen supports the domain-swapped dimer as the immune co-receptor.
The known involvement of D4 residues Lys318 and Gln344 in dimer formation is also accommodated by this model. These findings imply that disulfide-linked dimeric CD4 is the preferred functional co-receptor for binding to APC. Strategies to promote dimerisation of CD4 should, therefore, enhance the immune response, while inhibiting dimer formation is predicted to be immunosuppressive.