CD48-deficient mice have a pronounced defect in CD4+ T cell activation

The function of CD48 is determined by generating mice deficient in CD48 expression. The results of the experiment show that CD48 plays a crucial role in T cell activation through the T receptor cell/CD3 complex. Reduced proliferation in response to stimulation with lectins, alloantigen and anti-CD3 mAb were observed from the T cells of CD48-deficient mice. The use of phorbol ester phorbol 12-Myristate 13-Acetate as a costimulatory signal instead of antigen-presenting cells resulted in impairments. T cell responses were reconstituted with the addition of irradiated APCs.