Butyrophilin-like 1 encodes an enterocyte protein that selectively regulates functional interactions with T lymphocytes

BTN3A2 expression in epithelial ovarian cancer is associated with higher tumor infiltrating T cells and a better prognosis

BTN3A2/BT3.2 butyrophilin mRNA expression by tumoral cells was previously identified as a prognostic factor in a small cohort of high grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer (HG-EOC). Here, we evaluated the prognostic value of BT3.2 at the protein level in specimen from 199 HG-EOC patients. As the only known role of butyrophilin proteins is in immune regulation, we evaluated the association between BT3.2 expression and intratumoral infiltration of immune cells by immunohistochemistry with specific antibodies against BT3.2, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, CD68 and CD206. Epithelial BT3.2 expression was significantly associated with longer overall survival and lower risk of disease progression (HR=0.651, p=0.006 and HR=0.642, p=0.002, respectively) and significantly associated with a higher density of infiltrating T cells, particularly CD4+ cells (0.272, p<0.001). We also observed a strong association between the relative density of CD206+ cells, as evaluated by the ratio of intratumoral CD206+/CD68+ expression, and risk of disease progression (HR=1.355 p=0.044, respectively). In conclusion, BT3.2 protein is a potential prognostic biomarker for the identification of HG-EOC patients with better outcome. In contrast, high CD206+/CD68+ expression is associated with high risk of disease progression. While the role of BT3.2 is still unknown, our result suggest that BT3.2 expression by epithelial cells may modulates the intratumoral infiltration of immune cells.

BTN3A2 expression in epithelial ovarian cancer is associated with higher tumor infiltrating T cells and a better prognosis

BTN3A2/BT3.2 butyrophilin mRNA expression by tumoral cells was previously identified as a prognostic factor in a small cohort of high grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer (HG-EOC). Here, we evaluated the prognostic value of BT3.2 at the protein level in specimen from 199 HG-EOC patients. As the only known role of butyrophilin proteins is in immune regulation, we evaluated the association between BT3.2 expression and intratumoral infiltration of immune cells by immunohistochemistry with specific antibodies against BT3.2, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, CD68 and CD206. Epithelial BT3.2 expression was significantly associated with longer overall survival and lower risk of disease progression (HR = 0.651, p = 0.006 and HR = 0.642, p = 0.002, respectively) and significantly associated with a higher density of infiltrating T cells, particularly CD4+ cells (0.272, p<0.001). We also observed a strong association between the relative density of CD206+ cells, as evaluated by the ratio of intratumoral CD206+/CD68+ expression, and risk of disease progression (HR = 1.355 p = 0.044, respectively). In conclusion, BT3.2 protein is a potential prognostic biomarker for the identification of HG-EOC patients with better outcome. In contrast, high CD206+/CD68+ expression is associated with high risk of disease progression. While the role of BT3.2 is still unknown, our result suggest that BT3.2 expression by epithelial cells may modulates the intratumoral infiltration of immune cells.

Unconventional microarray design reveals the response to obesity is largely tissue specific: analysis of common and divergent responses to diet-induced obesity in insulin-sensitive tissues

Obesity is a chronic condition involving the excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that adversely affects all systems in the body. The aim of the present study was to employ an unbiased, genome-wide assessment of transcript abundance in order to identify common gene expression pathways within insulin-sensitive tissues in response to dietary-induced diabetes. Following 20 weeks of chow or high-fat feeding (60% kcal), age-matched mice underwent a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp to assess insulin sensitivity. High-fat-fed animals were obese and highly insulin resistant, disposing of ∼75% less glucose compared with their chow-fed counterparts. Tissues were collected, and gene expression was examined by microarray in 4 tissues known to exhibit obesity-related metabolic disturbances: white adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, liver, and heart. A total of 463 genes were differentially expressed between diets. Analysis of individual tissues showed skeletal muscle to exhibit the largest number of differentially expressed genes (191) in response to high-fat feeding, followed by adipose tissue (169), liver (115), and heart (65). Analyses revealed that the response of individual genes to obesity is distinct and largely tissue specific, with less than 10% of transcripts being shared among tissues. Although transcripts are largely tissue specific, a systems approach shows numerous commonly activated pathways, including those involved in signal transduction, inflammation, oxidative stress, substrate transport, and metabolism. This suggests a coordinated attempt by tissues to limit metabolic perturbations occurring in early-stage obesity. Many identified genes were associated with a variety of disorders, thereby serving as potential links between obesity and its related health risks.

Butyrophilins: an emerging family of immune regulators

Butyrophilins (Btns) and butyrophilin-like (Btnl) molecules are emerging as novel regulators of immune responses in mice and humans. Several clues point to their probable importance: many of the genes are located within the MHC; they are structurally related to B7-co-stimulatory molecules; they are functionally implicated in T cell inhibition and in the modulation of epithelial cell-T cell interactions; and they are genetically associated with inflammatory diseases. Nonetheless, initial immersion into the current literature can uncover confusion over even basic information such as gene names and expression patterns, and seemingly conflicting data regarding the biological activities of different family members. This review addresses each of these issues, concluding with the attractive potential of Btn and Btnl molecules to act as specific attenuators of tissue-associated inflammatory responses.

Cell surface signaling molecules in the control of immune responses: a tide model

A large numbers of cell surface signaling molecules (CSSMs) have been molecularly identified and functionally characterized in recent years and, via these studies, our knowledge in the control of immune response has increased exponentially. Two major lines of evidence emerge. First, the majority of immune cells rely on one or few CSSMs to deliver a primary triggering signal to sense their environment, leading to initiation of an immune response. Second, both costimulatory CSSMs that promote the response, and coinhibitory CSSMs that inhibit the response, are required to control direction and magnitude of a given immune response. With such tight feedback, immune responses are tuned and returned to baseline. These findings extend well beyond our previous observation in the requirement for lymphocyte activation and argue a revisit of the traditional "two-signal model" for activation and tolerance of lymphocytes. Here we propose a "tide" model to accommodate and interpret current experimental findings.