51
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Rocamora-Reverte L, Tuzlak S, von Raffay L, Tisch M, Fiegl H, Drach M, Reichardt HM, Villunger A, Tischner D, Wiegers GJ. Glucocorticoid Receptor-Deficient Foxp3 + Regulatory T Cells Fail to Control Experimental Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Front Immunol 2019; 10:472. [PMID: 30936873 PMCID: PMC6431616 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of the immune system increases systemic adrenal-derived glucocorticoid (GC) levels which downregulate the immune response as part of a negative feedback loop. While CD4+ T cells are essential target cells affected by GC, it is not known whether these hormones exert their major effects on CD4+ helper T cells, CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg cells), or both. Here, we generated mice with a specific deletion of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in Foxp3+ Treg cells. Remarkably, while basal Treg cell characteristics and in vitro suppression capacity were unchanged, Treg cells lacking the GR did not prevent the induction of inflammatory bowel disease in an in vivo mouse model. Under inflammatory conditions, GR-deficient Treg cells acquired Th1-like characteristics and expressed IFN-gamma, but not IL-17, and failed to inhibit pro-inflammatory CD4+ T cell expansion in situ. These findings reveal that the GR is critical for Foxp3+ Treg cell function and suggest that endogenous GC prevent Treg cell plasticity toward a Th1-like Treg cell phenotype in experimental colitis. When equally active in humans, a rationale is provided to develop GC-mimicking therapeutic strategies which specifically target Foxp3+ Treg cells for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Rocamora-Reverte
- Division of Developmental Immunology, Biocenter, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Selma Tuzlak
- Division of Developmental Immunology, Biocenter, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Laura von Raffay
- Division of Developmental Immunology, Biocenter, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Marcel Tisch
- Division of Developmental Immunology, Biocenter, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Heidi Fiegl
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Innsbruck University Hospital, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Mathias Drach
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Holger M Reichardt
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Villunger
- Division of Developmental Immunology, Biocenter, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.,CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.,Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases, Vienna, Austria
| | - Denise Tischner
- Division of Developmental Immunology, Biocenter, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - G Jan Wiegers
- Division of Developmental Immunology, Biocenter, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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52
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Inglesfield S, Cosway EJ, Jenkinson WE, Anderson G. Rethinking Thymic Tolerance: Lessons from Mice. Trends Immunol 2019; 40:279-291. [PMID: 30803714 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2019.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the thymus, distinct cortex and medulla areas emphasize the division of labor in selection events shaping the αβT cell receptor repertoire. For example, MHC restriction via positive selection is a unique property of epithelial cells in the thymic cortex. Far less clear are the events controlling tolerance induction in the medulla. By acting in concert through multiple roles, including antigen production/presentation and chemokine-mediated control of migration, we propose that medullary epithelium and dendritic cells collectively enable the medulla to balance T cell production with negative selection and Foxp3+ regulatory T cell (Treg) development. We examine here the features of these medullary resident cells and their roles in T cell tolerance, and discuss how imbalance in the thymus can result in loss of T cell tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Inglesfield
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Emilie J Cosway
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - William E Jenkinson
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Graham Anderson
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
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53
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Sekiya T, Hibino S, Saeki K, Kanamori M, Takaki S, Yoshimura A. Nr4a Receptors Regulate Development and Death of Labile Treg Precursors to Prevent Generation of Pathogenic Self-Reactive Cells. Cell Rep 2018; 24:1627-1638.e6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
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54
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Pohar J, Simon Q, Fillatreau S. Antigen-Specificity in the Thymic Development and Peripheral Activity of CD4 +FOXP3 + T Regulatory Cells. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1701. [PMID: 30083162 PMCID: PMC6064734 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
CD4+Foxp3+ T regulatory cells (Treg) are essential for the life of the organism, in particular because they protect the host against its own autoaggressive CD4+Foxp3- T lymphocytes (Tconv). Treg distinctively suppress autoaggressive immunity while permitting efficient defense against infectious diseases. This split effect indicates that Treg activity is controlled in an antigen-specific manner. This specificity is achieved first by the formation of the Treg repertoire during their development, and second by their activation in the periphery. This review presents novel information on the antigen-specificity of Treg development in the thymus, and Treg function in the periphery. These aspects have so far remained imprecisely understood due to the lack of knowledge of the actual antigens recognized by Treg during the different steps of their life, so that most previous studies have been performed using artificial antigens. However, recent studies identified some antigens mediating the positive selection of autoreactive Treg in the thymus, and the function of Treg in the periphery in autoimmune and allergic disorders. These investigations emphasized the remarkable specificity of Treg development and function. Indeed, the development of autoreactive Treg in the thymus was found to be mediated by single autoantigens, so that the absence of one antigen led to a dramatic loss of Treg reacting toward that antigen. The specificity of Treg development is important because the constitution of the Treg repertoire, and especially the presence of holes in this repertoire, was found to crucially influence human immunopathology. Indeed, it was found that the development of human immunopathology was permitted by the lack of Treg against the antigens driving the autoimmune or allergic T cell responses rather than by the impairment of Treg activation or function. The specificity of Treg suppression in the periphery is therefore intimately associated with the mechanisms shaping the formation of the Treg repertoire during their development. This novel information refines significantly our understanding of the antigen-specificity of Treg protective function, which is required to envision how these cells distinctively regulate unwanted immune responses as well as for the development of appropriate approaches to optimally harness them therapeutically in autoimmune, malignant, and infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelka Pohar
- Institut Necker-Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151-CNRS UMR 8253, Paris, France
| | - Quentin Simon
- Institut Necker-Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151-CNRS UMR 8253, Paris, France
| | - Simon Fillatreau
- Institut Necker-Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151-CNRS UMR 8253, Paris, France.,Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,AP-HP, Hôpital Necker Enfants Malades, Paris, France
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55
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Bradley A, Hashimoto T, Ono M. Elucidating T Cell Activation-Dependent Mechanisms for Bifurcation of Regulatory and Effector T Cell Differentiation by Multidimensional and Single-Cell Analysis. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1444. [PMID: 30061879 PMCID: PMC6048294 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In T cells, T cell receptor (TCR) signaling initiates downstream transcriptional mechanisms for T cell activation and differentiation. Foxp3-expressing regulatory T cells (Treg) require TCR signals for their suppressive function and maintenance in the periphery. It is, however, unclear how TCR signaling controls the transcriptional program of Treg. Since most of studies identified the transcriptional features of Treg in comparison to naïve T cells, the relationship between Treg and non-naïve T cells including memory-phenotype T cells (Tmem) and effector T cells (Teff) is not well understood. Here, we dissect the transcriptomes of various T cell subsets from independent datasets using the multidimensional analysis method canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). We show that at the cell population level, resting Treg share gene modules for activation with Tmem and Teff. Importantly, Tmem activate the distinct transcriptional modules for T cell activation, which are uniquely repressed in Treg. The activation signature of Treg is dependent on TCR signals and is more actively operating in activated Treg. Furthermore, by using a new CCA-based method, single-cell combinatorial CCA, we analyzed unannotated single-cell RNA-seq data from tumor-infiltrating T cells, and revealed that FOXP3 expression occurs predominantly in activated T cells. Moreover, we identified FOXP3-driven and T follicular helper-like differentiation pathways in tumor microenvironments, and their bifurcation point, which is enriched with recently activated T cells. Collectively, our study reveals the activation mechanisms downstream of TCR signals for the bifurcation of Treg and Teff differentiation and their maturation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alla Bradley
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Hashimoto
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Masahiro Ono
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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56
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Bending D, Paduraru A, Ducker CB, Prieto Martín P, Crompton T, Ono M. A temporally dynamic Foxp3 autoregulatory transcriptional circuit controls the effector Treg programme. EMBO J 2018; 37:embj.201899013. [PMID: 29991564 PMCID: PMC6092677 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201899013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Treg) are negative regulators of the immune response; however, it is poorly understood whether and how Foxp3 transcription is induced and regulated in the periphery during T‐cell responses. Using Foxp3‐Timer of cell kinetics and activity (Tocky) mice, which report real‐time Foxp3 expression, we show that the flux of new Foxp3 expressors and the rate of Foxp3 transcription are increased during inflammation. These persistent dynamics of Foxp3 transcription determine the effector Treg programme and are dependent on a Foxp3 autoregulatory transcriptional circuit. Persistent Foxp3 transcriptional activity controls the expression of coinhibitory molecules, including CTLA‐4 and effector Treg signature genes. Using RNA‐seq, we identify two groups of surface proteins based on their relationship to the temporal dynamics of Foxp3 transcription, and we show proof of principle for the manipulation of Foxp3 dynamics by immunotherapy: new Foxp3 flux is promoted by anti‐TNFRII antibody, and high‐frequency Foxp3 expressors are targeted by anti‐OX40 antibody. Collectively, our study dissects time‐dependent mechanisms behind Foxp3‐driven T‐cell regulation and establishes the Foxp3‐Tocky system as a tool to investigate the mechanisms behind T‐cell immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bending
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Alina Paduraru
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Catherine B Ducker
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Paz Prieto Martín
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Tessa Crompton
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Masahiro Ono
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
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57
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van Eden W. Immune tolerance therapies for autoimmune diseases based on heat shock protein T-cell epitopes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:rstb.2016.0531. [PMID: 29203716 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental models of autoimmune diseases have revealed the disease protective role of heat shock proteins (HSPs). Both the administration of exogenous extracellular, mostly recombinant, HSP and the experimental co-induction of endogenous intracellular HSP in models have been shown to lead to production of disease protective regulatory T cells (Tregs). Similar to HSP taken up from extracellular bodily fluids, due to stress-related autophagy upregulated HSP also from intracellular sources is a major provider for the major histocompatibility class II (MHCII) ligandome; therefore, both extracellular and intracellular HSP can be prominent targets of Treg. The development of therapeutic peptide vaccines for the restoration of immune tolerance in inflammatory diseases is an area of intensive research. In this area, HSPs are a target for tolerance-inducing T-cell therapy, because of their wide expression in inflamed tissues. In humans, in whom the actual disease trigger is frequently unknown, HSP peptides offer chances for tolerance-promoting interventions through induction of HSP-specific Treg. Recently, we have shown the ability of a bacterial HSP70-derived peptide, HSP70-B29, to induce HSP-specific Tregs that suppressed arthritis by cross-recognition of their mammalian HSP70 homologues, abundantly present in the MHCII ligandome of stressed mouse and human antigen-presenting cells in inflamed tissues.This article is part of the theme issue 'Heat shock proteins as modulators and therapeutic targets of chronic disease: an integrated perspective'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem van Eden
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
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58
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Min B. Spontaneous T Cell Proliferation: A Physiologic Process to Create and Maintain Homeostatic Balance and Diversity of the Immune System. Front Immunol 2018; 9:547. [PMID: 29616038 PMCID: PMC5868360 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Naive T lymphocytes undergo heterogeneous proliferative responses when introduced into lymphopenic hosts, referred to as “homeostatic proliferation” and “spontaneous proliferation.” Spontaneous proliferation is a unique process through which the immune system generates memory phenotype cells with increasing T cell receptors repertoire complexity. Here, the mechanisms that initiate and control spontaneous proliferation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Booki Min
- Department of Immunology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, United States
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59
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Foreign antigen-independent memory-phenotype CD4 + T cells: a new player in innate immunity? Nat Rev Immunol 2018; 18:1. [PMID: 29480288 DOI: 10.1038/nri.2018.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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60
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Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals distinct genetic modules associated with Helios expression in intratumoral regulatory T cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:2162-2167. [PMID: 29440380 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1720447115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are key modulators of immune tolerance, capable of suppressing inflammatory immune responses and promoting nonlymphoid tissue homeostasis. Helios, a transcription factor (TF) that is selectively expressed by Tregs, has been shown to be essential for the maintenance of Treg lineage stability in the face of inflammatory conditions that include autoimmune disease and cancer. Helios-deficient Tregs within tumors acquire effector T cell function and contribute to immune responses against cancer. However, the underlying genetic basis of this Treg reprogramming is not well understood. Here, we report that Helios-deficient Tregs within the chronic inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME) derepress genetic programs associated with T helper (Th) cell differentiation by up-regulating Th cell-associated TFs and effector cytokines. These genetic changes of Helios-deficient Tregs are most apparent in a Treg subpopulation with high affinity for self-antigens, as detected by both increased GITR/PD-1 expression and increased responsiveness to self-antigens. Their combined effects may promote a phenotype conversion of Tregs into effector T cells within the TME, where TCR engagement and costimulatory receptor expression by Tregs are increased. These data provide a genetic basis for the unstable phenotype of Helios-deficient Tregs within the inflammatory environment of tumors and suggest that immune milieu-dependent alterations in gene expression are a central feature of Treg conversion.
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61
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Sucic L, Galati-Fournier V, Kym U, Pfeifle VA, Gros SJ, Schäfer KH, Holland-Cunz S, Keck S. Increased regulatory T cells in pediatric acute appendicitis. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2018; 29:104-108. [PMID: 28881058 DOI: 10.1111/pai.12797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Sucic
- Department Pediatric Surgery, University Children`s Hospital Basel (UKBB) and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Working Group Enteric Nervous System, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Virginie Galati-Fournier
- Department Pediatric Surgery, University Children`s Hospital Basel (UKBB) and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Urs Kym
- Department Pediatric Surgery, University Children`s Hospital Basel (UKBB) and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Viktoria A Pfeifle
- Department Pediatric Surgery, University Children`s Hospital Basel (UKBB) and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie J Gros
- Department Pediatric Surgery, University Children`s Hospital Basel (UKBB) and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Karl-Herbert Schäfer
- Working Group Enteric Nervous System, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Stefan Holland-Cunz
- Department Pediatric Surgery, University Children`s Hospital Basel (UKBB) and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Simone Keck
- Department Pediatric Surgery, University Children`s Hospital Basel (UKBB) and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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62
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Sprouse ML, Scavuzzo MA, Blum S, Shevchenko I, Lee T, Makedonas G, Borowiak M, Bettini ML, Bettini M. High self-reactivity drives T-bet and potentiates Treg function in tissue-specific autoimmunity. JCI Insight 2018; 3:97322. [PMID: 29367462 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.97322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell receptor (TCR) affinity is a critical factor of Treg lineage commitment, but whether self-reactivity is a determining factor in peripheral Treg function remains unknown. Here, we report that a high degree of self-reactivity is crucial for tissue-specific Treg function in autoimmunity. Based on high expression of CD5, we identified a subset of self-reactive Tregs expressing elevated levels of T-bet, GITR, CTLA-4, and ICOS, which imparted significant protection from autoimmune diabetes. We observed that T-bet expression in Tregs, necessary for control of Th1 autoimmunity, could be induced in an IFNγ-independent fashion and, unlike in conventional T cells (Tconv), was strongly correlated with the strength of TCR signaling. The level of CD5 similarly identified human Tregs with an increased functional profile, suggesting that CD5hi Tregs may constitute an efficacious subpopulation appropriate for use in adoptive Treg therapies for treatment of inflammatory conditions. Overall, this work establishes an instrumental role of high TCR self-reactivity in driving Treg function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maran L Sprouse
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology
| | | | - Samuel Blum
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology
| | - Ivan Shevchenko
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology
| | - Thomas Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology
| | | | - Malgorzata Borowiak
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, and.,McNair Medical Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Matthew L Bettini
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology.,McNair Medical Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Maria Bettini
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology.,McNair Medical Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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63
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Sprouse ML, Shevchenko I, Scavuzzo MA, Joseph F, Lee T, Blum S, Borowiak M, Bettini ML, Bettini M. Cutting Edge: Low-Affinity TCRs Support Regulatory T Cell Function in Autoimmunity. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 200:909-914. [PMID: 29282307 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1700156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) use a distinct TCR repertoire and are more self-reactive compared with conventional T cells. However, the extent to which TCR affinity regulates the function of self-reactive Tregs is largely unknown. In this study, we used a two-TCR model to assess the role of TCR affinity in Treg function during autoimmunity. We observed that high- and low-affinity Tregs were recruited to the pancreas and contributed to protection from autoimmune diabetes. Interestingly, high-affinity cells preferentially upregulated the TCR-dependent Treg functional mediators IL-10, TIGIT, GITR, and CTLA4, whereas low-affinity cells displayed increased transcripts for Areg and Ebi3, suggesting distinct functional profiles. The results of this study suggest mechanistically distinct and potentially nonredundant roles for high- and low-affinity Tregs in controlling autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maran L Sprouse
- Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Ivan Shevchenko
- Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Marissa A Scavuzzo
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Faith Joseph
- Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Thomas Lee
- Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Samuel Blum
- Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Malgorzata Borowiak
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.,Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030; and.,McNair Medical Institute, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Matthew L Bettini
- Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030.,McNair Medical Institute, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Maria Bettini
- Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030; .,McNair Medical Institute, Houston, TX 77030
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64
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Marnik EA, Wang X, Sproule TJ, Park G, Christianson GJ, Lane-Reticker SK, Jain S, Duffy T, Wang H, Carter GW, Morse HC, Roopenian DC. Precocious Interleukin 21 Expression in Naive Mice Identifies a Natural Helper Cell Population in Autoimmune Disease. Cell Rep 2017; 21:208-221. [PMID: 28978474 PMCID: PMC5661890 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.09.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Interleukin 21 (IL-21) plays key roles in humoral immunity and autoimmune diseases. It is known to function in mature CD4+ T follicular B cell helper (TFH) cells, but its potential involvement in early T cell ontogeny is unclear. Here, we find that a significant population of newly activated thymic and peripheral CD4+ T cells functionally expresses IL-21 soon after birth. This naturally occurring population, termed natural (n)TH21 cells, exhibits considerable similarity to mature TFH cells. nTH21 cells originating and activated in the thymus are strictly dependent on autoimmune regulator (AIRE) and express high levels of NUR77, consistent with a bias toward self-reactivity. Their activation/expansion in the periphery requires gut microbiota and is held in check by FoxP3+ TREG cells. nTH21 cells are the major thymic and peripheral populations of IL-21+ cells to expand in an IL-21-dependent humoral autoimmune disease. These studies link IL-21 to T cell ontogeny, self-reactivity, and humoral autoimmunity.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Arthritis/genetics
- Arthritis/immunology
- Arthritis/pathology
- Autoimmunity/genetics
- B-Lymphocytes/immunology
- B-Lymphocytes/pathology
- Forkhead Transcription Factors/genetics
- Forkhead Transcription Factors/immunology
- Gastrointestinal Microbiome/immunology
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Immunity, Humoral
- Interleukins/genetics
- Interleukins/immunology
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Transgenic
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1/genetics
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1/immunology
- Signal Transduction
- T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer/pathology
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/pathology
- Transcription Factors/genetics
- Transcription Factors/immunology
- AIRE Protein
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth A Marnik
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA; Genetics Program, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Shweta Jain
- Virology and Cellular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | - Hongsheng Wang
- Virology and Cellular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Gregory W Carter
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA; Genetics Program, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Herbert C Morse
- Virology and Cellular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), NIH, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Derry C Roopenian
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA; Genetics Program, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
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Takada K, Kondo K, Takahama Y. Generation of Peptides That Promote Positive Selection in the Thymus. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 198:2215-2222. [PMID: 28264997 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1601862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
To establish an immunocompetent TCR repertoire that is useful yet harmless to the body, a de novo thymocyte repertoire generated through the rearrangement of genes that encode TCR is shaped in the thymus through positive and negative selection. The affinity between TCRs and self-peptides associated with MHC molecules determines the fate of developing thymocytes. Low-affinity TCR engagement with self-peptide-MHC complexes mediates positive selection, a process that primarily occurs in the thymic cortex. Massive efforts exerted by many laboratories have led to the characterization of peptides that can induce positive selection. Moreover, it is now evident that protein degradation machineries unique to cortical thymic epithelial cells play a crucial role in the production of MHC-associated self-peptides for inducing positive selection. This review summarizes current knowledge on positive selection-inducing self-peptides and Ag processing machineries in cortical thymic epithelial cells. Recent studies on the role of positive selection in the functional tuning of T cells are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kensuke Takada
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Kenta Kondo
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yousuke Takahama
- Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
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66
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Cabral J, Hanley SA, Gerlach JQ, O'Leary N, Cunningham S, Ritter T, Ceredig R, Joshi L, Griffin MD. Distinctive Surface Glycosylation Patterns Associated With Mouse and Human CD4 + Regulatory T Cells and Their Suppressive Function. Front Immunol 2017; 8:987. [PMID: 28871258 PMCID: PMC5566562 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T-cells (Treg) are essential for maintaining immune homeostasis and tolerance. Surface glycosylation is ubiquitous on mammalian cells and regulates diverse biological processes. While it is currently well accepted that surface glycan expression influences multiple aspects of T-cell function, little is known about the relevance of glycosylation to Treg biology. This study aimed to profile the surface glycosylation characteristics of Treg in various lymphoid compartments of mouse and in human peripheral blood with comparison to non-regulatory, conventional CD4+ T-cells (Tconv). It also sought to determine the relationship between the surface glycosylation characteristics and suppressive potency of Treg. Lectin-based flow cytometric profiling demonstrated that Treg surface glycosylation differs significantly from that of Tconv in the resting state and is further modified by activation stimuli. In mouse, the surface glycosylation profiles of FoxP3+ Treg from spleen and lymph nodes were closely comparable but greater variability was observed for Treg in thymus, bone marrow, and blood. Surface levels of tri/tetra-antennary N-glycans correlated with expression of proteins known to be involved in Treg suppressive functions, including GITR, PD-1, PD-L1, CD73, CTLA-4, and ICOS. In coculture experiments involving purified Treg subpopulations and CD4+ or CD8+ Tconv, higher surface tri/tetra-antennary N-glycans was associated with greater Treg suppressive potency. Enzymatic manipulation of mouse Treg surface glycosylation resulting in a temporary reduction of surface N-glycans significantly reduced Treg capacity to suppress Tconv activation through contact-dependent mechanisms. Overall, these findings demonstrate that Treg have distinctive surface glycan characteristics that show variability across anatomical locations and are modulated by activation events. They also provide evidence of an important role for surface glycosylation in determining Treg phenotype and suppressive potency. These insights may prove relevant to the analysis of Treg in disease settings and to the further development of Treg-based immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Cabral
- Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at CÚRAM Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Shirley A Hanley
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Sciences (NCBES), National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Jared Q Gerlach
- Glycoscience Group, National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Sciences (NCBES), National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Neil O'Leary
- HRB Clinical Research Facility, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Stephen Cunningham
- Glycoscience Group, National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Sciences (NCBES), National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Thomas Ritter
- Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at CÚRAM Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Rhodri Ceredig
- Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at CÚRAM Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Lokesh Joshi
- Glycoscience Group, National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Sciences (NCBES), National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Matthew D Griffin
- Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at CÚRAM Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
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67
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Myers DR, Zikherman J, Roose JP. Tonic Signals: Why Do Lymphocytes Bother? Trends Immunol 2017; 38:844-857. [PMID: 28754596 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2017.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Revised: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Since the 1990s it has been known that B and T lymphocytes exhibit low-level, constitutive signaling in the basal state (tonic signaling). These lymphocytes display a range of affinity for self, which in turn generates a range of tonic signaling. Surprisingly, what signaling pathways are active in the basal state and the functional relevance of the observed tonic signaling heterogeneity remain open questions today. Here we summarize what is known about the mechanistic and functional details of tonic signaling. We highlight recent advances that have increased our understanding of how the amount of tonic signal impacts immune function, describing novel tools that have moved the field forward and toward a molecular understanding of tonic signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darienne R Myers
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Julie Zikherman
- Division of Rheumatology, Rosalind Russell and Ephraim P. Engleman Arthritis Research Center, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jeroen P Roose
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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68
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Dong M, Artusa P, Kelly SA, Fournier M, Baldwin TA, Mandl JN, Melichar HJ. Alterations in the Thymic Selection Threshold Skew the Self-Reactivity of the TCR Repertoire in Neonates. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 199:965-973. [PMID: 28659353 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1602137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Neonatal and adult T cells differ in their effector functions. Although it is known that cell-intrinsic differences in mature T cells contribute to this phenomenon, the factors involved remain unclear. Given emerging evidence that the binding strength of a TCR for self-peptide presented by MHC (self-pMHC) impacts T cell function, we sought to determine whether altered thymic selection influences the self-reactivity of the TCR repertoire during ontogeny. We found that conventional and regulatory T cell subsets in the thymus of neonates and young mice expressed higher levels of cell surface CD5, a surrogate marker for TCR avidity for self-pMHC, as compared with their adult counterparts, and this difference in self-reactivity was independent of the germline bias of the neonatal TCR repertoire. The increased binding strength of the TCR repertoire for self-pMHC in neonates was not solely due to reported defects in clonal deletion. Rather, our data suggest that thymic selection is altered in young mice such that thymocytes bearing TCRs with low affinity for self-peptide are not efficiently selected into the neonatal repertoire, and stronger TCR signals accompany both conventional and regulatory T cell selection. Importantly, the distinct levels of T cell self-reactivity reflect physiologically relevant differences based on the preferential expansion of T cells from young mice to fill a lymphopenic environment. Therefore, differences in thymic selection in young versus adult mice skew the TCR repertoire, and the relatively higher self-reactivity of the T cell pool may contribute to the distinct immune responses observed in neonates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqi Dong
- Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Quebec H1T 2M4, Canada.,Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, and Immunology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Patricio Artusa
- Department of Physiology and McGill Research Centre for Complex Traits, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Stephanie A Kelly
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada; and
| | - Marilaine Fournier
- Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Quebec H1T 2M4, Canada
| | - Troy A Baldwin
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada; and
| | - Judith N Mandl
- Department of Physiology and McGill Research Centre for Complex Traits, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Heather J Melichar
- Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Quebec H1T 2M4, Canada; .,Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4, Canada
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69
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Hu DY, Wirasinha RC, Goodnow CC, Daley SR. IL-2 prevents deletion of developing T-regulatory cells in the thymus. Cell Death Differ 2017; 24:1007-1016. [PMID: 28362433 DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2017.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the thymus, strongly self-reactive T cells may undergo apoptotic deletion or differentiate into Foxp3+ T-regulatory (T-reg) cells. Mechanisms that partition T cells into these two fates are unclear. Here, we show that IL-2 signalling is required to prevent deletion of CD4+ CD8- CCR7+ Helios+ thymocytes poised to upregulate Foxp3. The deletion prevented by IL-2 signalling is Foxp3 independent and occurs later in thymocyte development than the deletion that is prevented by Card11 signalling. Our results distinguish two bottlenecks at which strongly self-reactive thymocytes undergo deletion or progress to the next stage of T-reg differentiation; Card11 regulates the first bottleneck and IL-2 regulates the second.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Y Hu
- Immunology Department, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra 0200, Australia
| | - Rushika C Wirasinha
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Christopher C Goodnow
- Immunology Department, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra 0200, Australia.,Immunology Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Stephen R Daley
- Immunology Department, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra 0200, Australia.,Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
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70
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White JT, Cross EW, Kedl RM. Antigen-inexperienced memory CD8 + T cells: where they come from and why we need them. Nat Rev Immunol 2017; 17:391-400. [PMID: 28480897 DOI: 10.1038/nri.2017.34] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Memory-phenotype CD8+ T cells exist in substantial numbers within hosts that have not been exposed to either foreign antigen or overt lymphopenia. These antigen-inexperienced memory-phenotype T cells can be divided into two major subsets: 'innate memory' T cells and 'virtual memory' T cells. Although these two subsets are nearly indistinguishable by surface markers alone, notable developmental and functional differences exist between the two subsets, which suggests that they represent distinct populations. In this Opinion article, we review the available literature on each subset, highlighting the key differences between these populations. Furthermore, we suggest a unifying model for the categorization of antigen-inexperienced memory-phenotype CD8+ T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason T White
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, 792 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Eric W Cross
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Mail Stop 8333, Room P18-8115, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, Colorado 80045-2537, USA
| | - Ross M Kedl
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Mail Stop 8333, Room P18-8115, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, Colorado 80045-2537, USA
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71
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Daley SR, Teh C, Hu DY, Strasser A, Gray DH. Cell death and thymic tolerance. Immunol Rev 2017; 277:9-20. [DOI: 10.1111/imr.12532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R. Daley
- Infection and Immunity Program; Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Monash University; Melbourne VIC Australia
| | - Charis Teh
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Melbourne VIC Australia
- Department of Medical Biology; The University of Melbourne; Parkville VIC Australia
| | | | - Andreas Strasser
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Melbourne VIC Australia
- Department of Medical Biology; The University of Melbourne; Parkville VIC Australia
| | - Daniel H.D. Gray
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Melbourne VIC Australia
- Department of Medical Biology; The University of Melbourne; Parkville VIC Australia
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