(Journal Article): Cell contact-dependent immunosuppression by CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells is mediated by cell surface-bound transforming growth factor beta.
 
Nakamura K, Kitani A, Strober W (Mucosal Immunity Section, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.)
 
IN: J Exp Med 2001; 194:629-644
Impact Factor(s) of J Exp Med: 14.588 (2004), 15.302 (2003), 15.34 (2001)

Fulltext:    HTML  PDF

ABSTRACT: CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells have been identified as a population of immunoregulatory T cells, which mediate suppression of CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells by cell-cell contact and not secretion of suppressor cytokines. In this study, we demonstrated that CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells do produce high levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and interleukin (IL)-10 compared with CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells when stimulated by plate-bound anti-CD3 and soluble anti-CD28 and/or IL-2, and secretion of TGF-beta1 (but not other cytokines), is further enhanced by costimulation via cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen (CTLA)-4. As in prior studies, we found that CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells suppress proliferation of CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells; however, we observed here that such suppression is abolished by the presence of anti-TGF-beta. In addition, we found that CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells suppress B cell immunoglobulin production and that anti-TGF-beta again abolishes such suppression. Finally, we found that stimulated CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells but not CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells express high and persistent levels of TGF-beta1 on the cell surface. This, plus the fact that we could find no evidence that a soluble factor mediates suppression, strongly suggests that CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells exert immunosuppression by a cell-cell interaction involving cell surface TGF-beta1.

TYPE OF PUBLICATION: Original article

Articles citing this article:

• Thomas D, Zaccone P, Cooke A. The Role of Regulatory T Cell Defects in Type I Diabetes and the Potential of these Cells for Therapy. Rev Diabetic Stud 2005. 2: 9-18.
  » Diabetes OD » Reversal/Prevention of Diabete... » T1DM » Re-establishing Tolerance » Modifying Immunity » Journal Article