CD80 and CD86 are receptor proteins that are involved with cellular immune response. They are transmembrane proteins, meaning that they are not just attached, but are anchored within the lipid bilayer. These receptor proteins are activated by binding to either CD28 or CTLA-4; this carefully regulated system is responsible for stimulating or downregulating the production and activity of T-cells and overall immune response to antigens. CD80 has a slightly more prominent role, and is expressed on macrophages and activated T-cells and B-cells.
Both proteins are studied extensively for their role in cancer resistance and immune system regulation, typically by using targeted, fluorescently labeled antibodies that bind to the proteins and allow them to be visualized in the laboratory.
For more information on the use of labeled antibodies and other immunohistochemistry topics, please see ‘Additional Resources’ below.
References:
Manzoor Ahmad Mir (2015) Developing Costimulatory Molecules for Immunotherapy of Diseases, Pages 1-43 https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-802585-7.00001-7.
Lim TS, Goh JKH, Mortellaro A, Lim CT, Hämmerling GJ, Ricciardi-Castagnoli P (2012) CD80 and CD86 Differentially Regulate Mechanical Interactions of T-Cells with Antigen-Presenting Dendritic Cells and B-Cells. PLoS ONE 7(9): e45185. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0045185.