CD4(+)CD25(+) immune regulatory cells are required for induction of tolerance to alloantigen via costimulatory blockade.
Immune regulatory CD4(+)CD25(+) cells play a vital role in the induction and maintenance of self-tolerance and are essential for T cell homeostasis and the prevention of autoimmunity. Induction of tolerance to allogeneic donor grafts is a clinically desirable goal in bone marrow and solid organ transplantation. To determine whether CD4(+)CD25(+) cells regulate T cell responses to alloantigen and are critical for tolerance induction, murine CD4(+) T cells were tolerized to alloantigen via ex vivo CD40 ligand (CD40L)/CD40 or CD28/cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4/B7 blockade resulting in secondary mixed leukocyte reaction hyporesponsiveness and tolerance to alloantigen in vivo. CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells were found to be potent regulators of alloresponses. Depletion of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells from the CD4(+) responder population completely abrogated ex vivo tolerance induction to alloantigen as measured by intact responses to alloantigen restimulation in vitro and in vivo. Addback of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells to CD4(+)CD25(-) cultures restored tolerance induction. These data are the first to indicate that CD4(+)CD25(+) cells are essential for the induction of tolerance to alloantigen and have important implications for tolerance-inducing strategies targeted at T cell costimulatory pathways.
Taylor
P A
PA
University of Minnesota Cancer Center and Department of Pediatrics, Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation, 420 SE Delaware St., Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Noelle
R J
RJ
Blazar
B R
BR
D000069594:Abatacept; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000502:physiology; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000502:physiology; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000401:mortality; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000502:physiology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556707:Ctla4 protein, mouse; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D007519:Isoantigens; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D000069594:Abatacept