The role of CTLA-4 in induction and maintenance of peripheral T cell tolerance

Eur J Immunol. 2002 Apr;32(4):972-81. doi: 10.1002/1521-4141(200204)32:4<972::AID-IMMU972>3.0.CO;2-M.

Abstract

T cell receptor engagement and the B7-CD28 / CTLA-4 signaling pathways play critical roles in T cell activation and regulation. CD28 engagement results in T cell activation, differentiation and survival while CTLA-4 signals block IL-2 production, cell cycle progression and T cell differentiation. We explored the role of CTLA-4 in peripheral tolerance induced by intravenous administration of ethylene carbodiimide-fixed, antigen-coupled splenocytes in the PLP139 - 151-induced relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis system. Tolerance induction with PLP139 - 151-coupled splenocytes correlates with low B7 expression on the fixed antigen-presenting cells, conditions that would favor CTLA-4-mediated inhibition. Administration of CTLA-4Ig or anti-CTLA-4 concomitant with the 'tolerogenic' stimulus, however, failed to reverse tolerance induction. In contrast, blocking CTLA-4 at the time of secondary 'immunogenic' encounter with antigen reversed the tolerant state. These findings indicate that CTLA-4 is required to maintain the unresponsive state of the tolerized T cells upon antigenic stimulation under inflammatory conditions and, therefore, have important implications for therapeutic regulation of autoimmune disease.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Abatacept
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / immunology
  • Antigens, Differentiation / administration & dosage
  • Antigens, Differentiation / immunology*
  • Antigens, Differentiation / pharmacology
  • Autoantigens / administration & dosage
  • Autoantigens / immunology
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
  • Autoimmune Diseases / therapy
  • B7-1 Antigen / immunology
  • B7-2 Antigen
  • CTLA-4 Antigen
  • Capsid / immunology
  • Capsid Proteins
  • Cells, Cultured / immunology
  • Clonal Anergy / immunology
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / immunology
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / therapy
  • Female
  • Hypersensitivity, Delayed / immunology
  • Immune Tolerance*
  • Immunization
  • Immunoconjugates*
  • Inflammation
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Myelin Basic Protein / immunology
  • Myelin Proteolipid Protein / administration & dosage
  • Myelin Proteolipid Protein / immunology
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Peptide Fragments / administration & dosage
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology
  • Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • Thymectomy

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, Differentiation
  • Autoantigens
  • B7-1 Antigen
  • B7-2 Antigen
  • CTLA-4 Antigen
  • Capsid Proteins
  • Cd86 protein, mouse
  • Ctla4 protein, mouse
  • Immunoconjugates
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Myelin Basic Protein
  • Myelin Proteolipid Protein
  • OVA 323-339
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • myelin basic protein 84-104
  • myelin proteolipid protein (139-151)
  • myelin proteolipid protein (178-191)
  • Abatacept
  • Ovalbumin