Background:
CD80 is a member of the Ig superfamily and serves as the ligand for two T cell molecules,CD28 and CTLA4. Interactions between CD28 and CD80 on activated B cells result in enhanced T cell activation. CD80 is rapidly induced on the surface of in vitro activated B cells,Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) transformed B cell lines,Burkitts lymphoma cell lines,freshly isolated follicular B lymphoma cells,T cells,and monocytes. It is also expressed at high levels in dendritic cells. It reacts weakly with a small proportion of non activated normal B cells and with HTLV1 infected T cells. CD80 does not react with peripheral monocytes,resting and activated normal T cells,T cell lines and T cell clones,nor with myelomonocytic cell lines.