IntroductionInflammation is generally regarded as harmful to the brain because local and infiltrated immune cells, as well as proinflammatory cytokines, exacerbate the neuronal damage in various neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. 1-4 Healthy brain prevents the penetration of lymphocytes into the brain parenchyma and also down-regulates the activity of infiltrated lymphocytes. 5,6 Nevertheless, the brain is neither isolated nor passive in its interactions with the immune system. 7 Once neuronal damage occurs, T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APC) accumulate at lesion sites, with concomitant increased expression of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and costimulatory molecules, which are necessary for T-cell activation. [8][9][10][11] It is perceivable that a strict control of the activation of T cells is important to ameliorate their harmful effects on neurons.Optimal activation of T cells by APCs requires at least 2 signals. The first is elicited through recognition of the MHC-peptide complex by T-cell receptor (TCR), and the second is provided by the costimulatory molecules via interaction with their respective receptors on T cells. Costimulatory molecules are key factors required for full activation of the primed T cells, especially the naive T cells. Without costimulation, the primed T cells will turn into unresponsiveness or anergy. [12][13][14] Among the costimulatory molecules, B7 (CD80 or 86), CD40, and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 have all been detected at inflammatory sites in brain. 8,10,11 ICAM-1 is known to promote the activation of T cells through binding to its integrin receptor lymphocyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1, ␣L2, CD11a/CD18). 15-17 LFA-1 and ICAM-1 are involved in the formation of the adhesion ring junction or the peripheral supramolecular activation complex at the immunologic synapse between T cells and APCs. 18,19 The ICAMs belong to the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily, and 5 ICAM members (ICAM-1-5) have been identified. 20,21 In brain, ICAM-1 is expressed in endothelial, epithelial, and glial cells. 22 By contrast, ICAM-5 (telencephalin) has been shown to be expressed only in the telencephalic neurons, and its synthesis takes place mainly after birth. 23 Structurally, ICAM-5 is a type I membrane protein with 9 Ig-like domains in the extracellular part, a short transmembrane region, and a cytoplasmic tail. 23,24 ICAM-5 has been shown to bind to LFA-1 [25][26][27] and to regulate the morphology of microglia. 28 In conditions of brain ischemia, 29 epilepsy, 30,31 and encephalitis, 32 the soluble form of ICAM-5 (sICAM-5) has been detected in physiologic fluids.Because of its specific expression pattern, and also being a ligand for LFA-1, it is crucial to establish whether ICAM-5 can act as a costimulatory molecule for T cells, as ICAM-1 does, and whether it regulates T-cell activity during brain inflammation. Here, we find that, in contrast to ICAM-1, the expression of ICAM-5 is not up-regulated by the cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and int...