title: Isolation of functional human regulatory T cells (Treg) from the peripheral blood based on the CD39 expression.
abstract: Human regulatory T cells (Treg) have been variously defined as CD4(+)CD25(+), CD4(+)CD25(high) or CD4(+)CD25(high)FOXP3(+) cells which are responsible for maintaining peripheral tolerance. Their isolation from human peripheral blood or tissues depends on the expression level of CD25(IL-2Ralpha) - a surface marker which is also expressed on activated effector helper T cells. CD39, a cell surface associated ectonucleotidase, can be used to purify Treg with strong suppressor functions. The CD4(+)CD39(+) T cells catalyze cleavage of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to adenosine monophosphate (AMP), which is then further cleaved to adenosine. CD4(+)CD39(+) T cells largely overlap with CD4(+)CD25(high)FOXP3(+) but not CD4(+)CD25(+) T cell subset, and mediate equally potent immune suppression. Thus, CD39 surface marker can be successfully used for routine isolation of functionally-active human Treg from the peripheral blood of healthy donors or patients with cancer for studies of their role in health and disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Magis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mandapathil
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Elieser
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gorelik
authors.forename: Theresa L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Whiteside
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D001081:Apyrase / Q000032:analysis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D001081:Apyrase; C067869:CD39 antigen