Contribution of the PD-1 ligands/PD-1 signaling pathway to dendritic cell-mediated CD4+ T cell activation.

Dendritic cells (DC) are extremely proficient inducers of naïve CD4+ T cell activation due to their high expression level of peptide-MHC and an array of accessory molecules involved in cell migration, adhesion and co-signaling, including PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) and PD-1 ligand 2 (PD-L2). Whether PD-L1 and PD-L2 have a stimulatory or inhibitory function is a matter of debate, and could be partially dependent on the model system used. In this study we examined the role of PD-L1 and PD-L2 expressed by DC in naïve CD4+ T cell activation in a more physiologically relevant model system, using OVA-specific T cells in combination with various levels of TCR stimulation.

L-selective amidase with extremely broad substrate specificity from Ochrobactrum anthropi NCIMB 40321.

An industrially attractive L-specific amidase was purified to homogeneity from Ochrobactrum anthropi NCIMB 40321 wild-type cells. The purified amidase displayed maximum initial activity between pH 6 and 8.5 and was fully stable for at least 1 h up to 60 degrees C.