B7/CD28 costimulation of T cells induces a distinct proteome pattern

Effective immune strategies for the eradication of human tumors require a detailed understanding of the interaction of tumor cells with the immune system, which might lead to an optimization of T cell responses. To understand the impact of B7-mediated costimulation on T cell activation comprehensive proteome analysis of B7-primed T cell populations were performed. Using this approach we identified different classes of proteins in T cells whose expression is either elevated or reduced upon B7-1- or B7-2-mediated CD28 costimulation. The altered proteins include regulators of the cell cycle and cell proliferation, signal transducers, components of the antigen processing machinery, transporters, cytoskeletal proteins, and metabolic enzymes. A number of differentially expressed proteins are further modified by phosphorylation. Our results provide novel insights into the complexity of the CD28 costimulatory pathway of T cells and will help to identify potential targets of therapeutic interventions for modulating anti-tumor T cell activation.