title: Monoclonal regulatory T cells provide insights into T cell suppression.
abstract: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have a crucial role in maintaining lymphocyte homeostasis. However an understanding of how Tregs function at a cellular and molecular level has not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we make use of a T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic, Rag(-/-) mouse expressing a Forkhead-Box-Protein P3 (Foxp3) transgene. This mouse provides a source of monoclonal CD4(+) Foxp3(+) T cells with a defined specificity. Here we show that monoclonal B3K506 Tregs are functional in vitro and in vivo and clearly require cognate antigen to be suppressive. We further show that the strength of Treg stimulation determines the strength of Treg mediated suppression. Finally we analysed various suppressive mechanisms used by monoclonal Tregs and found that Treg-Tconv proximity is a parameter, which correlates with enhanced suppression.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Biomedicine and Nephrology, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gubser
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmaler
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Regulatory Immunology Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Simona W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Departments of Biomedicine and Nephrology, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ed
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit