The role of T cell apoptosis in transplantation tolerance.
Rejection of fully MHC-mismatched allografts entails the direct recognition of donor MHC molecules (direct antigen presentation) and the activation of an unusually large mass of alloreactive T cells. There is compelling evidence that apoptotic cell death of activated T cells is a critical initial step in the induction of peripheral allograft tolerance with regimens that are not inherently lymphoablative and that therapies that block T cell activation and T cell apoptosis also block the acquisition of tolerance. Thus, T cell apoptosis may play an important role in reducing the size of cytopathic T cell clones and this process may also promote the development and expansion of immune regulatory cells that are essential in the maintenance of allograft tolerance.
Li
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XC
Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Wells
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Strom
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TB
Turka
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LA
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000502:physiology
C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; D007376:Interleukin-2; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor