CD58

CD58 Full Name

CD58 molecule

CD58 Introduction

CD58, also known as lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 (LFA-3), is a glycosylated cell adhesion molecule of the immunoglobulin superfamily that is widely expressed on many hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells, including leukocytes, erythrocytes, endothelial cells, epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Its natural and primary ligand is CD2, a receptor found on T cells, natural killer (NK) cells and certain dendritic cells, and the interaction between CD58 and CD2 plays a central role in strengthening cell–cell adhesion during the immune response. This CD2–CD58 binding facilitates the formation of the immunological synapse and promotes co-stimulatory signaling that enhances T cell and NK cell activation, proliferation, cytokine production and cytotoxic activity, functioning as a key "second signal" in adaptive immunity in addition to antigen recognition by T-cell receptors.

Figure 1. Regulation of tumor immunity and immune evasion via the CD2-CD58 axis.(Sources: Jo Y, et al.; 2024)

Functionally, CD58's role in immune cell adhesion and costimulation has broad implications for how the immune system recognizes and responds to pathogens and abnormal cells. By stabilizing interactions between antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and T lymphocytes, CD58 helps optimize T-cell receptor signaling and facilitates effective immune surveillance and response amplification. Both membrane-bound and soluble forms of CD58 (sCD58) exist, and the balance between these forms can influence local and systemic immune responses; for example, sCD58 can modulate CD2–CD58 interactions and affect T cell adhesion dynamics. The critical nature of this adhesion pathway means that CD58 is often studied with specific antibodies, recombinant proteins, and detection reagents in research and clinical immunology to interrogate T cell function, immune synapse formation, and NK cell responses.

In disease contexts, genetic variation and altered expression of CD58 are linked to immune dysregulation and pathology. Polymorphisms in the CD58 gene locus have been associated with susceptibility to autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), potentially by influencing CD58 expression levels and impacting T cell co-stimulation and regulatory functions. In addition, tumor cells can exploit aberrant CD58 expression to evade immune detection, and studies suggest that CD58 expression levels may influence prognosis in certain hematologic malignancies and solid tumors by modulating T/NK cell activation within the tumor microenvironment. Because of these roles, CD58 continues to be investigated as both a biomarker of immune status and a therapeutic target for modulating immune adhesion in autoimmunity, cancer immunotherapy, and other immunological disorders.

Alternate Names for CD58

CD58; CD58 molecule; ag3; LFA3; LFA-3; lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3; surface glycoprotein LFA-3; CD58 antigen, (lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3);

• 1. Jo Y, et al.; Revisiting T-cell adhesion molecules as potential targets for cancer immunotherapy: CD226 and CD2. Exp Mol Med. 2024, 56(10):2113-2126.