Programmed death ligand 2 (PD-L2), also referred to as B7-DC and CD273, is a member of the B7 family of proteins including B7-1, B7-2, B7-H2, B7-H1 (PD-L1), and B7-H3. PD-L2 is a type I membrane protein and structurally consists of an extracellular region containing one V-like and one C-like Ig domain, a transmembrane region, and a short cytoplasmic domain. PD-L2 is expressed on antigen presenting cells, placental endothelium and medullary thymic epithelial cells, and can be induced by LPS in B cells, INF-γ in monocytes, or LPS plus IFN-γ in dendritic cells. The CD28 and B7 protein families are critical regulators of immune responses. PD-L2 and PD-L1 are two ligands for PD-1, member of the CD28/CTLA4 family expressed on activated lymphoid cells, and thus provide signals for regulating T cell activation and immune tolerance. The interaction of B7-DC/PD-1 exhibited a 2-6-fold higher affinity compared with the interaction of B7-H1/PD-1.
