Ligand of the T-lymphocyte CD2 glycoprotein. This interaction is important in mediating thymocyte interactions with thymic epithelial cells, antigen-independent and -dependent interactions of T-lymphocytes with target cells and antigen-presenting cells and the T-lymphocyte rosetting with erythrocytes. In addition, the LFA-3/CD2 interaction may prime response by both the CD2+ and LFA-3+ cells. Interacts with CD2 (PubMed:10380930, PubMed:3309127). Interacts with CMTM6 (PubMed:28813417). (Microbial infection) Interacts with human cytomegalovirus protein UL148; this interaction retains immature CD58 intracellularly. May be produced at very low levels due to a premature stop codon in the mRNA, leading to nonsense-mediated mRNA decay.