title: [CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and their function in graft-versus-host disease--review].
abstract: As a functionally and phenotypically distinctive T cell subpopulation, CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells are anergic and retain their ability to suppress antigen-driven response of CD4+CD25- cells in a contact-dependent manner or through a way of secreting immunosuppressive cytokines such as IL-10 and TGF-beta. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is one of the major complications following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Recently, some researches on the relationship between donor CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and GVHD severity produced two contradictory conclusions: one is CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells that can prevent GVHD efficiently; the other is that GVHD is associated with the increased numbers of peripheral blood CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. The answer to this question will provide a new idea for clinic therapy of GVHD. In this review some new research progresses in the related area, such as the CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells, the phenotype, characteristics, immunoregulatory mechanisms of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells, as well as the relation of CD4+CD25+ with GVHD were presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hemotology, The General Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Wan-Ming
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Da
mesh_terms: D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit