B7-H4 mediates inhibition of T cell responses by activated murine hepatic stellate cells
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Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Seven Steps to Stellate Cells
Published on: May 10, 2011
Raghavan Chinnadurai1, Arash Grakoui
1Department of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
Unlabelled:
Liver fibrosis is mediated by the transformation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) from a quiescent to an activated state. To understand the role of HSC in liver immunity, we investigated the effect of this transition on T cell stimulation in vitro. Unlike quiescent HSC, activated HSC did not induce proliferation of antigen-specific T cells. Phenotypic analysis of quiescent and activated HSC revealed that activated HSC expressed the coinhibitory molecule B7-H4. Silencing B7-H4 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) in activated HSC restored the ability of T cells to proliferate, differentiate, and regain effector recall responses. Furthermore, expression of B7-H4 on HSC inhibits early T cell activation and addition of exogenous interleukin (IL)-2 reversed the T cell anergy induced by activated HSC.
Conclusion:
These studies reveal a novel role for activated HSC in the attenuation of intrahepatic T cell responses by way of expression of the coinhibitory molecule B7-H4, and may provide fundamental insight into intrahepatic immunity during liver fibrogenesis.
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