Control of Foxp3+ CD25+CD4+ regulatory cell activation and function by dendritic cells

Int Immunol. 2004 Dec;16(12):1769-80. doi: 10.1093/intimm/dxh178. Epub 2004 Nov 1.

Abstract

Naturally occurring CD4+CD25+ regulatory T (TR) cells play crucial roles in normal immunohomeostasis. CD4+CD25+ TR cells exhibit a number of interesting in vitro properties including a 'default state' of profound anergy refractory to conventional T cell stimuli. We investigated the in vitro activation requirements of CD4+CD25+ TR cells using bone marrow-derived DC, which as professional antigen presenting cells (APC) can support the activation of normal naive T cells. Comparison of different APC types revealed that LPS-matured DC were by far the most effective at breaking CD4+CD25+ TR cell anergy and triggering proliferation, and importantly their IL-2 production. Examination of Foxp3, a key control gene for CD4+CD25+ TR cells, showed this to be stably expressed even during active proliferation. Although CD4+CD25+ TR cell proliferation was equivalent to that of CD25- cells their IL-2 production was considerably less. Use of IL-2-/- mice demonstrated that the DC stimulatory ability was not dependent on IL-2 production; nor did IL-15 appear crucial but was, at least in part, related to costimulation. DC also blocked normal CD4+CD25+ TR cell-mediated suppression partially via IL-6 secretion. DC therefore possess novel mechanisms to control the suppressive ability, expansion and/or differentiation of CD4+CD25+ TR cells in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / pharmacology
  • Antigens, CD / physiology
  • B7-2 Antigen
  • Bone Marrow Cells / drug effects
  • Bone Marrow Cells / physiology
  • CD4 Antigens / immunology
  • Clonal Anergy / immunology
  • Clonal Anergy / physiology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / analysis*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Homeostasis / immunology
  • Interleukin-15 / pharmacology
  • Interleukin-15 / physiology
  • Interleukin-2 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-2 / genetics
  • Interleukin-2 / pharmacology
  • Interleukin-6 / pharmacology
  • Interleukin-6 / physiology
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Activation / physiology*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / pharmacology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / physiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / immunology
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / pharmacology
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2 / analysis*
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2 / immunology
  • Salmonella enteritidis / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • B7-2 Antigen
  • CD4 Antigens
  • Cd86 protein, mouse
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxp3 protein, mouse
  • Interleukin-15
  • Interleukin-2
  • Interleukin-6
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2