title: Regulatory activity of human CD4 CD25 T cells depends on allergen concentration, type of allergen and atopy status of the donor.
abstract: Regulatory CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3-positive T cells (Treg) are functional in most atopic patients with allergic rhinitis and are able to inhibit T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2 cytokine production of CD4+ CD25- T cells. This study was designed to analyse the following additional aspects: influence of allergen concentration, influence of the type of allergen, and influence of the atopy status of the donor on the strength of the regulatory activity. CD4+ CD25- T cells from healthy non-atopic controls or from grass-pollen-allergic or wasp-venom-allergic donors were stimulated alone or in the presence of Treg with autologous mature monocyte-derived dendritic cells which were pulsed with different concentrations of the respective allergens. Treg from grass-pollen-allergic donors failed to inhibit proliferation but not cytokine production of CD4+ CD25- T cells at high antigen doses while Treg from non-atopic donors did not fail at these allergen concentrations. Proliferative responses and cytokine production of CD4+ CD25- T cells from most of the examined wasp-venom-allergic patients were not inhibited at any concentration of wasp venom. The use of wasp venom- or phospholipase A2-pulsed dendritic cells for stimulation of CD4+ CD25- T cells from donors who were not allergic to wasp stings only resulted in an inhibited proliferation and Th2 cytokine production by Treg at 10-fold lower than the optimal concentration, while interferon-gamma production was inhibited at all concentrations investigated. These data demonstrate that in allergic diseases the function of Treg is dependent on the concentration and the type of the respective allergen with different thresholds for individual allergens and patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany. bellinghausen@hautklinik.klinik.uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bellinghausen
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: König
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Böttcher
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Knop
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saloga
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D053450:Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related Protein; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000276:immunology; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014862:Wasp Venoms / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D016207:Cytokines; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053450:Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related Protein; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C491405:TNFRSF18 protein, human; D014862:Wasp Venoms