Immunoregulatory CD4(-)CD8(-) T cells as a potential therapeutic tool for transplantation, autoimmunity, and cancer.
A central objective in organ transplantation and the treatment or prevention of autoimmune disease is the achievement of antigen-specific immune tolerance. An additional challenge in bone marrow transplantation for the treatment of hematological malignancies is the prevention of graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) while maintaining graft-vs-tumor activity. Interestingly, CD4(-)CD8(-) (double negative, DN) T cells, which exhibit a unique antigen-specific immunoregulatory potential, appear to exhibit all of the properties to respond to these challenges. Herein, we review the therapeutic potential of immunoregulatory DN T cells in various immunopathological settings, including graft tolerance, GVHD, cancer, and autoimmunity.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Montreal Montreal, QC, Canada ; Research Center, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Montreal, QC, Canada.
Erin E
EE
Hillhouse
Jean-Sébastien
JS
Delisle
Sylvie
S
Lesage
autoimmunity; cancer; double negative T cells; graft tolerance; graft-vs-host disease; immunoregulation