Unlock the secrets of T cell activation! This comprehensive review delves into the intricate CD28/B7 receptor/ligand system, a dominant costimulatory pathway crucial for T cell function and immune response regulation. It synthesizes a wealth of in vitro and in vivo experiments, illustrating current models for CD28/B7-mediated T cell and B cell regulation. This review explores the complexity of the CD28/B7 system, highlighting the identification of multiple receptors and ligands with both positive and negative signaling activities. By examining the immunobiology of CD28/B7, the authors provide a detailed overview of this essential signaling pathway. The CD28/B7 system is one of the dominant costimulatory pathways, and interruption of this signaling pathway with CD28 antagonists not only results in the suppression of the immune response, but in some cases induces antigen-specific tolerance. This research seeks to inspire further investigation into this vital signaling pathway, inviting researchers to unravel the complex mechanisms that govern T cell activation. Understanding the CD28/B7 system offers promising avenues for therapeutic interventions, such as manipulating immune responses and inducing antigen-specific tolerance.
Published in the 'Annual Review of Immunology,' this paper on CD28/B7 costimulation is highly relevant, as the journal focuses on advances in immunological research. By exploring the CD28/B7 receptor/ligand system, the paper contributes to the journal's exploration of immune response regulation and T cell activation, aligning with its focus on cutting-edge immunological findings.