(Journal Article): A CD4+ T-cell subset inhibits antigen-specific T-cell responses and prevents colitis.
 
Groux H, O'Garra A, Bigler M, Rouleau M, Antonenko S, de Vries JE, Roncarolo MG (DNAX Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Inc., Human Immunology Department, Palo Alto, California 94304-1104, USA.)
 
IN: Nature 1997; 389(6652):737-742
Impact Factor(s) of Nature: 29.273 (2005), 32.182 (2004), 30.979 (2003), 30.432 (2002), 27.955 (2001)

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ABSTRACT: Induction and maintenance of peripheral tolerance are important mechanisms to maintain the balance of the immune system. In addition to the deletion of T cells and their failure to respond in certain circumstances, active suppression mediated by T cells or T-cell factors has been proposed as a mechanism for maintaining peripheral tolerance. However, the inability to isolate and clone regulatory T cells involved in antigen-specific inhibition of immune responses has made it difficult to understand the mechanisms underlying such active suppression. Here we show that chronic activation of both human and murine CD4+ T cells in the presence of interleukin (IL)-10 gives rise to CD4+ T-cell clones with low proliferative capacity, producing high levels of IL-10, low levels of IL-2 and no IL-4. These antigen-specific T-cell clones suppress the proliferation of CD4+ T cells in response to antigen, and prevent colitis induced in SCID mice by pathogenic CD4+CD45RB(high) splenic T cells. Thus IL-10 drives the generation of a CD4+ T-cell subset, designated T regulatory cells 1 (Tr1), which suppresses antigen-specific immune responses and actively downregulates a pathological immune response in vivo.

TYPE OF PUBLICATION: Original article

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