Immune regulation by self-reactive T cells is antigen specific

J Immunol. 2004 Apr 1;172(7):4285-91. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.172.7.4285.

Abstract

Immune regulation plays an important role in the establishment and maintenance of self-tolerance. Nevertheless, it has been difficult to conclude whether regulation is Ag specific because studies have focused on polyclonal populations of regulatory T cells. We have used in this study a murine transgenic model that generates self-reactive, regulatory T cells of known Ag specificity to determine their capacity to suppress naive T cells specific for other Ags. We show that these regulatory cells can regulate the responses of naive T cells with the same TCR specificity, but do not inhibit T cell proliferation or differentiation of naive T cells specific for other Ags. These results demonstrate that immune regulation may be more Ag specific than previously proposed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autoantigens / genetics
  • Autoantigens / immunology*
  • Bystander Effect / genetics
  • Bystander Effect / immunology
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Cell Division / genetics
  • Cell Division / immunology
  • Cytokines / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / genetics
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • Interphase / genetics
  • Interphase / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / genetics
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / physiology
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2 / biosynthesis
  • Ribonucleoproteins / genetics
  • Ribonucleoproteins / immunology
  • SS-B Antigen
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / cytology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / metabolism

Substances

  • Autoantigens
  • Cytokines
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2
  • Ribonucleoproteins