FoxP3+ regulatory T cells essentially contribute to peripheral CD8+ T-cell tolerance induced by steady-state dendritic cells

A Schildknecht, S Brauer, C Brenner… - Proceedings of the …, 2010 - National Acad Sciences
A Schildknecht, S Brauer, C Brenner, K Lahl, H Schild, T Sparwasser, HC Probst…
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2010National Acad Sciences
Peripheral T-cell tolerance is thought to significantly contribute to the prevention of
autoimmunity, and it has been shown that antigen-presenting steady-state dendritic cells
efficiently induce peripheral tolerance. We previously showed that dendritic-cell–induced
tolerance is a T-cell–intrinsic process that depends on coinhibitory molecules such as
programmed death-1. Here we specifically analyze the involvement of FoxP3+ regulatory T
cells, which are known to be important for maintenance of self-tolerance. We show that …
Peripheral T-cell tolerance is thought to significantly contribute to the prevention of autoimmunity, and it has been shown that antigen-presenting steady-state dendritic cells efficiently induce peripheral tolerance. We previously showed that dendritic-cell–induced tolerance is a T-cell–intrinsic process that depends on coinhibitory molecules such as programmed death-1. Here we specifically analyze the involvement of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells, which are known to be important for maintenance of self-tolerance. We show that antigen presentation by steady-state dendritic cells failed to induce peripheral tolerance in the absence of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells but induced protective CD8+ T-cell–mediated immunity instead. Regulatory T-cell–depleted mice had massively increased numbers of dendritic cells in lymph nodes. Dendritic cells isolated from mice without regulatory T cells had up-regulated costimulatory molecules and showed stronger T-cell stimulatory capacity ex vivo, suggesting that regulatory T cells contribute to peripheral tolerance by keeping the dendritic cells in an immature state. Using blocking antibodies, we demonstrate that CTLA-4 but not IL-10 is necessary for control of dendritic cells by regulatory T cells.
National Acad Sciences