Here we have identified a surface protein, TIGIT, containing an immunoglobulin variable domain, a transmembrane domain and an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif that was expressed on regulatory, memory and activated T cells. Poliovirus receptor, which is expressed on dendritic cells, bound TIGIT with high affinity. A TIGIT-Fc fusion protein inhibited T cell activation in vitro, and this was dependent on the presence of dendritic cells. The binding of poliovirus receptor to TIGIT on human dendritic cells enhanced the production of interleukin 10 and diminished the production of interleukin 12p40. Knockdown of TIGIT with small interfering RNA in human memory T cells did not affect T cell responses. TIGIT-Fc inhibited delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions in wild-type but not interleukin 10-deficient mice. Our data suggest that TIGIT exerts immunosuppressive effects by binding to poliovirus receptor and modulating cytokine production by dendritic cells.

Lipoprotein(a) is an LDL-like lipoprotein whose concentration in plasma is correlated with atherosclerosis. The characteristic protein component of lipoprotein(a) is apolipoprotein(a) which is disulphide-linked to apolipoprotein B-100. Sequencing of cloned human apolipoprotein(a) complementary DNA shows that it is very similar to human plasminogen. It contains a serine protease domain and two types of plasminogen-like kringle domains, one of which is present in 37 copies.

Tumors constitute highly suppressive microenvironments in which infiltrating T cells are "exhausted" by inhibitory receptors such as PD-1. Here we identify TIGIT as a coinhibitory receptor that critically limits antitumor and other CD8(+) T cell-dependent chronic immune responses. TIGIT is highly expressed on human and murine tumor-infiltrating T cells, and, in models of both cancer and chronic viral infection, antibody coblockade of TIGIT and PD-L1 synergistically and specifically enhanced CD8(+) T cell effector function, resulting in significant tumor and viral clearance, respectively. This effect was abrogated by blockade of TIGIT's complementary costimulatory receptor, CD226, whose dimerization is disrupted upon direct interaction with TIGIT in cis. These results define a key role for TIGIT in inhibiting chronic CD8(+) T cell-dependent responses.

Physiological platelet synthesis is thought to require the humoral activities of meg-CSF and thrombopoietin, which respectively promote proliferation and maturation of megakaryocytic cells. A meg-CSF/thrombopoietin-like protein that is present in plasma of irradiated pigs has been purified and cloned. This protein binds to and activates the c-mpl protein, a member of the cytokine receptor superfamily. The isolated Mpl ligand shares homology with erythropoietin and stimulates both megakaryocytopoiesis and thrombopoiesis.

The molecular pathways involved in the differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors are unknown. Here we report that chemokine-mediated interactions of megakaryocyte progenitors with sinusoidal bone marrow endothelial cells (BMECs) promote thrombopoietin (TPO)-independent platelet production. Megakaryocyte-active cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-11, did not induce platelet production in thrombocytopenic, TPO-deficient (Thpo(-/-)) or TPO receptor-deficient (Mpl(-/-)) mice. In contrast, megakaryocyte-active chemokines, including stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and fibroblast growth factor-4 (FGF-4), restored thrombopoiesis in Thpo(-/-) and Mpl(-/-) mice. FGF-4 and SDF-1 enhanced vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1)- and very late antigen-4 (VLA-4)-mediated localization of CXCR4(+) megakaryocyte progenitors to the vascular niche, promoting survival, maturation and platelet release. Disruption of the vascular niche or interference with megakaryocyte motility inhibited thrombopoiesis under physiological conditions and after myelosuppression. SDF-1 and FGF-4 diminished thrombocytopenia after myelosuppression. These data suggest that TPO supports progenitor cell expansion, whereas chemokine-mediated interaction of progenitors with the bone marrow vascular niche allows the progenitors to relocate to a microenvironment that is permissive and instructive for megakaryocyte maturation and thrombopoiesis. Progenitor-active chemokines offer a new strategy to restore hematopoiesis in a clinical setting.