sDC-HIL

sDC-HIL (soluble Dendritic Cell-Heparin-binding Immunoglobulin-like Lectin) is the secreted, soluble isoform of the T-cell inhibitory receptor DC-HIL, also known as GPNMB or Osteoactivin. It is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein that acts as a potent negative regulator of T-cell-mediated immune responses. In oncology, sDC-HIL is often secreted by tumor cells (such as B16 melanoma) into the systemic circulation, where it localizes to distal organs and binds to endothelial cells and Syndecan-4 on T cells. This interaction creates an immunosuppressive premetastatic niche by inhibiting CD8+ T-cell proliferation and IFN-γ production, thereby facilitating metastatic colonization. Conversely, as a therapeutic candidate, recombinant sDC-HIL or DC-HIL-Fc fusion proteins are being investigated for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, such as psoriasis and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), by leveraging its natural ability to suppress T-cell activation and inflammatory signaling.

Other names

soluble DC-HILsoluble GPNMBsoluble Osteoactivinsoluble Glycoprotein Nonmetastatic Melanoma Protein BDC-HIL-Fc