The function of CD28 molecules that are present on malignant plasma cells of human myeloma cell lines (HMCL) was studied. First, myeloma cells expressed a similar density of CD28 antigen to that of normal T cells. The myeloma CD28 molecules were able to bind B7-Ig molecules as well as L cells transfected with a B7-1 cDNA, and anti-CD28 mAb inhibited the binding. Myeloma cells did not express B7-1 antigens but a low density of B7-2 antigens. The myeloma B7-2 molecules of two HMCL were able to bind CTLA-4 protein. No autocrine CD28:B7-2 activation could be evidenced as we found no spontaneous binding of the p85 subunit of PI-3 kinase to CD28 molecules. In addition, a blocking anti-CD28 mAb did not affect the IL-6-dependent or autonomous proliferation of the HMCL. The activation of myeloma CD28 molecules with or without TPA stimulation did not affect the proliferation, survival, differentiation, expression of activation antigens and cytokine receptors or cytokine production of myeloma cells. However, the triggering of myeloma CD28 molecules by B7-1 transfectant cells resulted in binding of the p85 subunit of PI-3 kinase to CD28 molecules as previously shown for T cell CD28 molecules. This expression of a large density of CD28 molecules able to bind B7 molecules might contribute to a downregulation of the immune control of myeloma cells.

CD28 is a 44kDa homodimer present on T cells providing an important costimulatory signal for T cell proliferation, cytokine production and cytokine receptor expression. CD28 activation is mediated by interaction with its counter-receptors, B7.1/CD80 and B7.2/B70/CD86. The biochemical basis of these co-stimulatory signals are still poorly understood, particularly in resting T cells. However, various biochemical pathways such as tyrosine phosphorylation, phospholipase C, sphingomyelinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) activation have been reported to play a role in CD28 signaling in tumor T cell lines and CD28-transfected cells or pre-activated T cells. In addition, recent reports propose that CD28-B7.1 and B7.2 interaction could be involved in the production of Th1 and Th2 cytokines, respectively, but the putative biochemical basis for these different functions is still unknown. We have analyzed the functional and molecular consequences of CD28 activation by B7.1 and B7.2 in human resting T cells. We demonstrate in this report that both CD28-B7.1 and CD28-B7.2 interactions induce the association of PI3-K to CD28 in the CD4 subpopulation, whereas it was barely detectable in CD8 cells. This association involves the binding of the src homology domain 2 (SH2) of p85 to tyrosine-phosphorylated CD28 and does not require pre-activation by CD3-T cell receptor. Worthmannin, a specific inhibitor of PI3-K enzymatic activity within the nanomolar range also inhibits the interleukin-2 production induced by costimulation mediated by either the B7.1- and B7.2-transfected cells or CD28 monoclonal antibodies. The only slight difference between B7.1 and B7.2 costimulation is the IC50 of worthmannin being 25 and 110 nM, respectively, which could suggest differences in their activation of the T cell PI3-K.