Increased expression of Foxp3 in splenic CD8+ T cells from mice with anterior chamber-associated immune deviation.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the expression of Foxp3 on CD8+ T cells in the spleen during anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID).


METHODS
Ovalbumin (OVA) was injected into the anterior chamber (AC) of C57BL/6 mice, and the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response was measured to evaluate the development of ACAID. The suppressive effect of CD8+ T cells in ACAID mice was determined by a local adoptive transfer (LAT) assay. Flow cytometry was used to assay the frequency of CD8+ Foxp3+ T cells from normal mice, ACAID mice, and control mice receiving an AC injection of PBS (PBS-AC-injected mice). These frequencies were also tested after polyclonal or specific antigen stimulation. The mRNA level of Foxp3 in CD8+ splenocytes from different groups with or without stimulation were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
OVA injection into the AC induced ACAID, and CD8+ T cells from ACAID mice inhibited the ear-swelling response by OVA-primed responder cells in LAT assay. Flow cytometry analysis showed that the frequency of CD8+ Foxp3+ cells in splenocytes was upregulated in ACAID mice following polyclonal or specific antigen stimulation. Foxp3 mRNA was only detected in CD8+ T cells from ACAID mice after polyclonal stimulation.


CONCLUSIONS
An upregulated Foxp3 expression in CD8+ T cells is associated with the development of ACAID, suggesting an involvement of CD8+ Foxp3+ T cells in this model of immune tolerance.
Jiang
Liqiong
L
State Key laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Uveitis Study Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yang
Peizeng
P
He
Hao
H
Li
Bing
B
Lin
Xiaomin
X
Hou
Shengping
S
Zhou
Hongyan
H
Huang
Xiangkun
X
Aize
Kijlstra
K
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000276:immunology*; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
D000941:Antigens; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C498833:Foxp3 protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D010047:Ovalbumin