p38 MAPK Mediates Inhibition of Activation Induced Cell Death in T Lymphocytes Via Upregulation of Bcl-x_L and FLIP_short upon Ligation of CD137/4-1BB or CD28.

Costimulation is essential for the induction of proliferation in naive T cells and for the inhibition of activation induced cell death (AICD) in activated T lymphocytes. While costimulatory signals mediated through the immunglobulin family member CD28 play a prominent role during primary T cell activation, ligation of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family member CD137/4-1BB is more important during late primary and secondary T cell activation. Signals mediated through either costimulatory protein block AICD. Inhibition of AICD through ligation of CD137/4-1BB or CD28 involves upregulation of Bcl-x_L and FLIP_short (Eur J Immunol 2005, 35: 1257–66). We further demonstrated that costimulatory signals mediated through CD137/4-1BB or CD28 depend on the activity of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and AKT/protein kinase B, two kinases that had formerly been implied in CD28-induced signaling, indicating that CD28- and CD137/4-1BB-mediated signals share downstream signaling pathways. Here, we demonstrate that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) mediates CD137/4-1BB-induced as well as CD28-mediated costimulation of cell proliferation and inhibition of AICD. This coincides with upregulation of Bcl-x_L and FLIP_short. Inhibition of p38 MAPK abrogates T cell receptor induced proliferation and antagonizes costimulation mediated survival. Thus, p38 MAPK, which was previously thought to be primarily involved in CD137/4-1BB-mediated signaling, is similarly important for CD28-induced costimulation and survival. This indicates that, while involving different protein families, signal transduction by CD28 and CD137/4-1BB depends on a common upstream and downstream network of survival kinases.