The novel mechanism of peripheral tolerance.
The circulating pool of lymphocytes contains self- as well as non-self reactive T cells. The mature DCs present as non-self as well as self-epitopes to nai;ve T cells. To avoid autoimmunity the organism has to keep the mature DCs afar from self-specific T cells. I had proposed that the different anatomical distribution of the immature (tolerogenic) and mature (immunogenic) DCs in the peripheral lymphoid tissues may contribute to this mechanism. I had proposed that T cells to reach the mature DC should pass through the layer of immature DCs, which constitutively phagocytose and transport apoptotic cells to the regional LN and present only 'self' epitopes. Thus, self-specific T cells will be trapped by the immature DC layer and be deleted or become anergic. The layer of immature DC will be crossed only by those T cells that are not self-specific.
Usharauli
David
D
Department of Pathology, State medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia, USA. davidusharauli@hotmail.com
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015551:Autoimmunity; D019070:Cell Lineage; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D010587:Phagocytosis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
D000939:Epitopes