title: In vitro Treg expansion favors the full-length splicing isoform of CTLA4.
abstract: We compared fresh and in vitro expanded human Tregs for their CTLA4 splicing isoform expression.
  
  
  
  The CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(low/-)phenotype was used for sorting Tregs and mRNA levels were measured with relative qRT-PCR.
  
  
  
  In fresh Tregs the level of soluble CTLA4 (sCTLA4) was half of that of full-length CTLA4, whereas in expanded cells sCTLA4 level was tenfold lower. The most striking change took place early on: sCTLA4 expression decreased significantly when cells were simply kept in culture.
  
  
  
  In the in vitro expanded Tregs, the splicing of CTLA4 is affected. Our findings can be significant for clinical cell manufacturing. First, even minimal processing of cells may impact the functional molecules. Second, Treg expansion yields more potent CTLA4 receptor bearing cells.
authors.affiliation: Research & Development, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Kivihaantie 7, 00310 Helsinki, Finland.|Advanced Cell Therapy Centre, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Kivihaantie 7, 00310 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaartinen
authors.affiliation: Research & Development, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Kivihaantie 7, 00310 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Harjunpää
authors.affiliation: Research & Development, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Kivihaantie 7, 00310 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Partanen
authors.affiliation: Research & Development, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Kivihaantie 7, 00310 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Minna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tiittanen
mesh_terms: D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019154:Protein Splicing; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit; D020033:Protein Isoforms
keywords: CTLA4; expansion; human; immunosuppression; regulatory T cells; soluble CTLA4; splicing isoform