CDD: CD52 May Be the Best Medicine to Suppress the Immune Response

CD52 is a widely distributed antigen that is expressed on lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils

and dendritic cells of the hematopoietic system and is also expressed on many lymphoid
malignancies and on some acute myeloid leukemia cells. Studies have reported that there are
soluble CD52 molecules in the blood shedding from the cell surface, which can be used as a
marker of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Soluble CD52 is a small glycoprotein that inhibits T-cell
activation, but it is still unclear how it affects the function of innate immune cells.

In a recent study, researchers from Australia found that soluble CD52 inhibits Toll-like receptors
and tumor necrosis factor receptor signaling and limits NF- κ B activation, thereby inhibiting
macrophages, monocytes and dendritic cells inflammatory cytokine synthesis. The results also
show that when the concentration of CD52 is elevated, soluble CD52 depletes the short-lived
promyelocytic MCL-1 and promotes the apoptosis of BH3-only pro-apoptotic proteins BAX and
BAK. In vivo experiments showed that administration of soluble CD52 inhibited LPS-induced
cytokine secretion and other characteristics of endotoxic shock, while knockdown of CD52
aggravated LPS response.

Previous studies have confirmed that humanized anti-CD52 monoclonal antibodies produced by
gene recombination followed by monoclonal technology can be used to treat alkylating agents
and fludarabine-resistant chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The study shows that soluble CD52 has a
wide range of immunosuppressive effects, the future is expected to be used for the development
of immunotherapy drugs.