CD58 molecule (Lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3) (CD58)

CD58, also known as Lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 (LFA-3), is a cell surface protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily that is widely expressed on various cells, including antigen-presenting cells (APCs), erythrocytes, and endothelial cells (UniProt P19235). Its primary biological role is to serve as the ligand for the CD2 receptor, which is found on T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells (PubMed: 10449301). The interaction between CD58 and CD2 is essential for strengthening the adhesion between T cells and APCs and for providing costimulatory signals that facilitate T cell activation and cytokine production (PubMed: 15294937). In clinical pathology, CD58 is significant in the context of autoimmune diseases like psoriasis, where the CD2-CD58 axis drives pathogenic T cell activity (PubMed: 12165512). Furthermore, the loss of CD58 expression on tumor cells has been identified as a key mechanism of immune evasion, particularly in B-cell lymphomas, as it prevents effective recognition by CD2-expressing cytotoxic T cells and NK cells (PubMed: 21670463). While Alefacept is a therapeutic agent derived from CD58 that targets CD2, CD58 itself remains a critical focus for understanding immune synapse formation and developing strategies to overcome resistance in cancer immunotherapy (DrugBank DB00015).

Other names

LFA-3Lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3LFA3AG3Surface glycoprotein CD58

Alefacept is a recombinant fusion protein consisting of the extracellular CD2-binding portion of human LFA-3 (CD58) fused to the Fc portion of human IgG1; it binds to the CD2 receptor on T cells, blocking the CD2-CD58 interaction and inducing apoptosis of memory-effector T cells (DrugBank DB00015).