Efficient induction and expansion of human alloantigen-specific CD8 regulatory T cells from naive precursors by CD40-activated B cells

J Immunol. 2009 Sep 15;183(6):3742-50. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.0901329. Epub 2009 Aug 14.

Abstract

Although recent studies have focused on CD4(+) regulatory T cells (Treg), CD8(+) Treg have also been reported to play important roles in the induction and maintenance of immune tolerance. Adoptive transfer of CD8(+) Treg in rodents or induction of CD8(+) Treg in humans can prevent or treat allograft rejection and autoimmune diseases. However, no approaches have been reported for the generation of human Ag-specific CD8(+) Treg at a practical scale for clinical use. Here, we found that two novel CD8(+) T cell subsets with different levels of CD8 surface expression, CD8(high) and CD8(low), could be induced from naive CD8(+) precursors in vitro by allogeneic CD40-activated B cells, whereas only CD8(high) T cells were alloantigen-specific Treg with relatively poor alloantigen-specific cytotoxicity. Importantly, alloantigen-specific CD8(high) Treg could be induced and expanded from naive CD8(+)CD25(-) T cells at a large scale after 3 wk of culture without exogenous cytokines. These induced alloantigen-specific Treg were CD45RO(+) and CCR7(-) memory cells, and they expressed Foxp3, CD25, CD27, CD28, and CD62L. The induction and expansion of CD8(high) Treg by CD40-activated B cells were dependent on endogenously expressed IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, and CTLA-4. This approach may facilitate the clinical application of CD8(+) Treg-based immunotherapy in transplantation and autoimmune diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, CD / biosynthesis
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD40 Antigens / immunology
  • CD8 Antigens / analysis
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cell Culture Techniques
  • Cell Lineage / immunology*
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance
  • Immunologic Memory
  • Isoantigens / immunology*
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Stem Cells / cytology
  • T-Cell Antigen Receptor Specificity
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / cytology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • CD40 Antigens
  • CD8 Antigens
  • Cytokines
  • Isoantigens