Regulatory T cells suppress the late phase of the immune response in lymph nodes through P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1

J Immunol. 2013 Dec 1;191(11):5489-500. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1301235. Epub 2013 Oct 30.

Abstract

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) maintain tolerance toward self-antigens and suppress autoimmune diseases, although the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. In this study, we show that mice deficient for P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) develop a more severe form of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis than wild type animals do, suggesting that PSGL-1 has a role in the negative regulation of autoimmunity. We found that Tregs lacking PSGL-1 were unable to suppress experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and failed to inhibit T cell proliferation in vivo in the lymph nodes. Using two-photon laser-scanning microscopy in the lymph node, we found that PSGL-1 expression on Tregs had no role in the suppression of early T cell priming after immunization with Ag. Instead, PSGL-1-deficient Tregs lost the ability to modulate T cell movement and failed to inhibit the T cell-dendritic cell contacts and T cell clustering essential for sustained T cell activation during the late phase of the immune response. Notably, PSGL-1 expression on myelin-specific effector T cells had no role in T cell locomotion in the lymph node. Our data show that PSGL-1 represents a previously unknown, phase-specific mechanism for Treg-mediated suppression of the persistence of immune responses and autoimmunity induction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Communication / genetics
  • Cell Growth Processes / genetics
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Disease Progression
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / immunology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Lymphocyte Activation / genetics
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / immunology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Myelin Sheath / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*

Substances

  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • P-selectin ligand protein