title: Pathogenic T cells persist after reversal of autoimmune disease by immunosuppression with regulatory T cells.
abstract: Autoimmune disease can be prevented with immunosuppressive agents; however, the effectiveness of these treatments in advanced stage of disease and the fate of pathogenic T cells following such treatments are not clear. In this study we demonstrate that a single dose of in vitro-induced Treg cells (iTreg cells) resulted in the functional repair and restitution of stomach tissue that had been severely damaged in advanced autoimmune gastritis. iTreg cells caused depletion or inactivation of autoreactive naïve T cells that were antigen inexperienced, however, autoreactive effector/memory T cells persisted in treated mice, resulting in residual cellular infiltrates within the repaired stomach tissue. The persisting autoreactive T cells were able to rapidly cause autoimmune disease if iTreg cells were removed. Similar data were obtained from mice treated continuously with corticosteroid, in that there was substantial restitution of the gastric mucosa; however, effector T cells persisted and rapidly caused pathology following drug removal. Therefore, iTreg cells or corticosteroid can suppress pathogenic autoreactive cells in advanced autoimmune disease, reversing tissue damage and improving tissue function. However, the persistence of pathogenic T cells represents a disease risk.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Tu
authors: Dorothée
authors: D
authors: Bourges
authors: Paul A
authors: PA
authors: Gleeson
authors: Desmond K Y
authors: DK
authors: Ang
authors: Ian R
authors: IR
authors: van Driel
mesh_terms: D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002450:Cell Communication; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005756:Gastritis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D011239:Prednisolone