Specificity of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell function in alloimmunity

J Immunol. 2006 Jan 1;176(1):329-34. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.176.1.329.

Abstract

CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (TRegs) are critical for the acquisition of peripheral allograft tolerance. However, it is unclear whether TRegs are capable of mediating alloantigen-specific suppressive effects and, hence, contributing to the specificity of the tolerant state. In the current report we have used the ABM TCR transgenic (Tg) system, a C57BL/6-derived strain in which CD4+ T cells directly recognize the allogeneic MHC-II molecule I-A(bm12), to assess the capacity of TRegs to mediate allospecific effects. In these mice, 5-6% of Tg CD4+ T cells exhibit conventional markers of the TReg phenotype. ABM TRegs are more effective than wild-type polyclonal TRegs at suppressing effector immune responses directed against I-A(bm12) alloantigen both in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, they are incapable of suppressing responses directed against third-party alloantigens unless these are expressed in the same allograft as I-A(bm12). Taken together, our results indicate that in transplantation, TReg function is dependent on TCR stimulation, providing definitive evidence for their specificity in the regulation of alloimmune responses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • CD4 Antigens / immunology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2 / immunology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*
  • Transplantation Tolerance / immunology*
  • Transplantation, Homologous / immunology*

Substances

  • CD4 Antigens
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2