TY - JOUR
T1 - Human CD25+CD4+ T regulatory cells suppress naive and memory T cell proliferation and can be expanded in vitro without loss of function
AU - Levings, Megan K.
AU - Sangregorio, Romina
AU - Roncarolo, Maria Grazia
PY - 2001/6/4
Y1 - 2001/6/4
N2 - Active suppression by T regulatory (Tr) cells plays an important role in the downregulation of T cell responses to foreign and self-antigens. Mouse CD4+ Tr cells that express CD25 possess remarkable suppressive activity in vitro and in autoimmune disease models in vivo. Thus far, the existence of a similar subset of CD25+CD4+ Tr cells in humans has not been reported. Here we show that human CD25+CD4+ Tr cells isolated from peripheral blood failed to proliferate and displayed reduced expression of CD40 ligand (CD40L), in response to T cell receptor-mediated polyclonal activation, but strongly upregulated cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen (CTLA)-4. Human CD25+CD4+ Tr cells also did not proliferate in response to allogeneic antigen-presenting cells, but they produced interleukin (IL)10, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, low levels of interferon (IFN)-γ, and no IL-4 or IL-2. Importantly, CD25+CD4+ Tr cells strongly inhibited the proliferative responses of both naive and memory CD4+ T cells to alloantigens, but neither IL-10, TGF-β, nor CTLA-4 seemed to be directly required for their suppressive effects. CD25+CD4+ Tr cells could be expanded in vitro in the presence of IL-2 and allogeneic feeder cells and maintained their suppressive capacities. These findings that CD25+CD4+ Tr cells with immunosuppressive effects can be isolated from peripheral blood and expanded in vitro without loss of function represent a major advance towards the therapeutic use of these cells in T cell-mediated diseases.
AB - Active suppression by T regulatory (Tr) cells plays an important role in the downregulation of T cell responses to foreign and self-antigens. Mouse CD4+ Tr cells that express CD25 possess remarkable suppressive activity in vitro and in autoimmune disease models in vivo. Thus far, the existence of a similar subset of CD25+CD4+ Tr cells in humans has not been reported. Here we show that human CD25+CD4+ Tr cells isolated from peripheral blood failed to proliferate and displayed reduced expression of CD40 ligand (CD40L), in response to T cell receptor-mediated polyclonal activation, but strongly upregulated cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen (CTLA)-4. Human CD25+CD4+ Tr cells also did not proliferate in response to allogeneic antigen-presenting cells, but they produced interleukin (IL)10, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, low levels of interferon (IFN)-γ, and no IL-4 or IL-2. Importantly, CD25+CD4+ Tr cells strongly inhibited the proliferative responses of both naive and memory CD4+ T cells to alloantigens, but neither IL-10, TGF-β, nor CTLA-4 seemed to be directly required for their suppressive effects. CD25+CD4+ Tr cells could be expanded in vitro in the presence of IL-2 and allogeneic feeder cells and maintained their suppressive capacities. These findings that CD25+CD4+ Tr cells with immunosuppressive effects can be isolated from peripheral blood and expanded in vitro without loss of function represent a major advance towards the therapeutic use of these cells in T cell-mediated diseases.
KW - CTLA-4
KW - Human
KW - IL-2 receptor α chain
KW - Immune tolerance
KW - Suppressor T lymphocytes
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U2 - 10.1084/jem.193.11.1295
DO - 10.1084/jem.193.11.1295
M3 - Article
C2 - 11390436
AN - SCOPUS:0035806323
VL - 193
SP - 1295
EP - 1301
JO - Journal of Experimental Medicine
JF - Journal of Experimental Medicine
SN - 0022-1007
IS - 11
ER -