title: Expansion of regulatory T cells via IL-2/anti-IL-2 mAb complexes suppresses experimental myasthenia.
abstract: Human autoimmune diseases are often characterized by a relative deficiency in CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Treg). We therefore hypothesized that expansion of Treg can ameliorate autoimmune pathology. We tested this hypothesis in an experimental model for autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG), a B-cell-mediated disease characterized by auto-Ab directed against the acetylcholine receptor within neuromuscular junctions. We showed that injection of immune complexes composed of the cytokine IL-2 and anti-IL-2 mAb (JES6-1A12) induced an effective and sustained expansion of Treg, via peripheral proliferation of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) cells and peripheral conversion of CD4(+)CD25(-)Foxp3(-) cells. The expanded Treg potently suppressed autoreactive T- and B-cell responses to acetylcholine receptor and attenuated the muscular weakness that is characteristic of MG. Thus, IL-2/anti-IL-2 mAb complexes can expand functional Treg in vivo, providing a potential clinical application of this modality for treatment of MG and other autoimmune disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA. Ruolan.Liu@chw.edu
authors.forename: Ruolan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: La Cava
authors.forename: Denise I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Campagnolo
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Kaer
authors.forename: Fu-Dong
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002469:Cell Separation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D020720:Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2