CD72

CD72 is a B-lineage-restricted type II transmembrane lectin of the C-type lectin family that acts as a counterweight to activating B-cell receptor signals. Its cytoplasmic tail carries two ITIM motifs that recruit SHP-1, raising the activation threshold of immature B cells and thereby contributing to central tolerance; CD72 is strongest on immature and marginal-zone B cells and wanes with differentiation. The binding of ligand CD100 (semaphorin 4D) neutralizes its inhibitory function, converting CD72 into a positive regulator during T-cell-dependent antibody responses. CD72 polymorphisms have been associated with systemic lupus erythematosus susceptibility.