Cutting edge: TGF-beta1 and IL-15 Induce FOXP3+ gammadelta regulatory T cells in the presence of antigen stimulation.
Several subsets of alphabeta regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been described and studied intensively, but the potential regulatory role of gammadelta T cells remains largely unclear. Lymphocytes expressing gammadelta TCR are involved in both innate and adaptive immune responses, and their major adult human peripheral blood subset (Vgamma9Vdelta2) displays a broad reactivity against microbial agents and tumors. In this study we report that gammadelta T lymphocytes with regulatory functions (Vdelta2 Tregs) are induced in vitro in the presence of specific Ag stimulation and cytokines (TGF-beta1 and IL-15). These cells express FOXP3 and, similarly as alphabeta Tregs, suppress the proliferation of anti-CD3/anti-CD28 stimulated-PBMC. Phenotypic and functional analyses of Vdelta2 Tregs will very likely improve our understanding about the role of gammadelta T cells in the pathogenesis of autoimmune, infectious, and neoplastic diseases.
Casetti
Rita
R
Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani Instituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, Italy. casetti@inmi.it
Agrati
Chiara
C
Wallace
Marianne
M
Sacchi
Alessandra
A
Martini
Federico
F
Martino
Angelo
A
Rinaldi
Alessandra
A
Malkovsky
Miroslav
M
D017951:Antigen Presentation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D006801:Humans; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000502:physiology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000502:physiology*
D016207:Cytokines; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D019409:Interleukin-15; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1