B7H4 is a co-stimulatory protein though to function as a negative regulator of T-cell mediated immunity by blocking proliferation, cell cycle progression and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production. Because B7H4-deficient mice are only minimally affected, it appears that B7H4 is involved in fine tuning of the T-cell mediated immune response. B7H4 is expressed on activated T-cells, B-cells, monocytes, and dendritic cells and exists in three different isoforms. Its aberrant expression has been associated with a variety of cancers such as lung, breast, and ovary, and it may hold promise as a prognostic marker for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Sarafian et al examine the expression profile of human blood group antigenic determinants such as B7H4 in normal human tissues1.
More immunology profiling studies from another group correlate local and distant advancement of cervical cancer with the presence of antigens (such as receptor-binding cancer antigen RCAS1 and B7H4) in infiltrating macrophages and fibroblasts located within the immediate microenvironment2. Tsiaousidou’s group used samples from 41 pancreatic cancer (PC) patients to evaluate B7H4, heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), and DJ-1 as prognostic markers3. They found that expression of these three antigens independently associated with a poor response to the therapeutic gemcitabine, and that those patients with B7H4 overexpression had a lower predicted survival. The B7H4 antibody was used in immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence experiments by Chen et al from Soochow University4. Their group profiled B7H4 expression during the pathological progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in both synovium and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and will continue to further investigate the underlying mechanism.
Novus Biologicals offers B7H4 reagents for your research needs including:
PMIDs
