A novel interface consisting of homologous immunoglobulin superfamily members with multiple functions

Immunoglobulin superfamily(IgSF)members account for a large proportion of cell adhesion molecules that perform important immunological functions,including recognizing a variety of counterpart molecules on the cell surface or extracellular matrix.The findings that CD155/poliovirus receptor(PVR)and CD112/nectin-2 are the ligands for CD226/platelet and T-cell activation antigen 1(PTA1)/DNAX accessory molecular-1(DNAM-1),CD96/tactile and Washington University cell adhesion molecule(WUCAM)and that CD226 is physically and functionally associated with lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1(LFA-1)on natural killer(NK)and activated T cells have largely expanded our knowledge about the functions of CD226,CD96,WUCAM and LFA-1 and their respective ligands,CD155,CD112,intercellular adhesion molecule(ICAM)-1 and junctional adhesion molecule(JAM)-1.The interactions of these receptors and their ligands are involved in many key functions of immune cells including naive T cells,cytotoxic T cells,NK cells,NK T cells,monocytes,dendritic cells,mast cells and platelets/megakaryocytes.