A. Neil Barclay

OX2 (CD200) is a broadly expressed membrane glycoprotein, shown here to be important for regulation of the macrophage lineage. In mice lacking CD200, macrophage lineage cells, including brain microglia, exhibited an activated phenotype and were more numerous. Upon facial nerve transection, damaged CD200-deficient neurons elicited an accelerated microglial response. Lack of CD200 resulted in a more rapid onset of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Outside the brain, disruption of CD200-CD200 receptor interaction precipitated susceptibility to collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice normally resistant to this disease. Thus, in diverse tissues OX2 delivers an inhibitory signal for the macrophage lineage.

CD47 is a broadly expressed membrane protein that interacts with the myeloid inhibitory immunoreceptor SIRPα (also termed CD172a or SHPS-1). SIRPα is the prototypic member of the SIRP paired receptor family of closely related SIRP proteins. Engagement of SIRPα by CD47 provides a downregulatory signal that inhibits host cell phagocytosis, and CD47 therefore functions as a "don't-eat-me" signal. Here, we discuss recent structural analysis of CD47-SIRPα interactions and implications of this for the function and evolution of SIRPα and paired receptors in general. Furthermore, we review the proposed roles of CD47-SIRPα interactions in phagocytosis, (auto)immunity, and host defense, as well as its potential significance as a therapeutic target in cancer and inflammation and for improving graft survival in xenotransplantation.