| Background | Zanolimumab is a biosimilar that targets CD4. The CD4 antigen is involved in the recognition of MHC class II molecules and is a co-receptor for HIV. CD4 is primarily expressed in a subset of T-lymphocytes, also referred to as T helper cells, but may also be expressed by other cells in the immune system, such as monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. At the tissue level, CD4 expression may be detected in thymus, lymph nodes, tonsils, and spleen, and also in specific regions of the brain, gut, and other non-lymphoid tissues. CD4 functions to initiate or augment the early phase of T-cell activation through its association with the T-cell receptor complex and protein tyrosine kinase, Lck. It may also function as an important mediator of direct neuronal damage in infectious and immune-mediated diseases of the central nervous system. Multiple alternatively spliced transcripts have been identified in this gene [RefSeq, July 2017]. |
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