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Comeback kids: CD8+ suppressor T cells are back in the game
Luc Van Kaer
Luc Van Kaer
Published September 27, 2010
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2010;120(10):3432-3434. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI44395.
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Comeback kids: CD8+ suppressor T cells are back in the game

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Abstract

Suppressing unwanted immune responses without compromising host immunity against pathogens is considered the holy grail of immunology. Lack of responsiveness to self-antigens is normally maintained by multiple mechanisms, including the suppressive activities of several T cell subsets. In this issue of the JCI, Jiang and colleagues define a CD8+ suppressor T cell subset in humans that recapitulates a regulatory pathway previously described in mice. These investigators further show that patients with type 1 diabetes have defects in their CD8+ suppressor T cells, thus identifying these cells as potential therapeutic targets in human disease.

Authors

Luc Van Kaer

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Figure 1

Signal strength model for the ability of Qa-1/HLA-E–restricted CD8+ T cells to suppress activated CD4+ T cells.

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Signal strength model for the ability of Qa-1/HLA-E–restricted CD8+ T ce...
Activated CD4+ T cells with intermediate avidity for their cognate MHC class II/peptide complexes express Qa-1/HLA-E molecules that are predominantly occupied by Hsp60sp. These T cells are effectively suppressed by Hsp60sp-specific CD8+ Tregs. In contrast, activated CD4+ T cells with high or low avidity for their cognate MHC class II/peptide complexes express Qa-1/HLA-E molecules that are predominantly occupied by Qdm/B7sp peptides. These T cells are not under the control of Hsp60sp-specific CD8+ Tregs. The ultimate outcome of these interactions is inhibition of autoreactive T cell responses and enrichment of high-avidity responses against foreign antigens.

Copyright © 2025 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)

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Referenced in 3 patents
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