IL-10-secreting regulatory T cells do not express Foxp3 but have comparable regulatory function to naturally occurring CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Regulatory T cells (T(Reg)) control immune responses to self and nonself Ags. The relationship between Ag-driven IL-10-secreting T(Reg) (IL-10-T(Reg)) and naturally occurring CD4(+)CD25(+) T(Reg) is as yet unclear. We show that mouse IL-10-T(Reg) obtained using either in vitro or in vivo regimens of antigenic stimulation did not express the CD4(+)CD25(+) T(Reg)-associated transcription factor Foxp3. However, despite the absence of Foxp3 expression, homogeneous populations of IL-10-T(Reg) inhibited the in vitro proliferation of CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells with a similar efficiency to that of CD4(+)CD25(+) T(Reg). This inhibition of T cell proliferation by IL-10-T(Reg) was achieved through an IL-10-independent mechanism as seen for CD4(+)CD25(+) T(Reg) and was overcome by exogenous IL-2. Both IL-10-T(Reg) and CD4(+)CD25(+) T(Reg) were similar in that they produced little to no IL-2. These data show that Foxp3 expression is not a prerequisite for IL-10-T(Reg) activity in vitro or in vivo, and suggest that IL-10-T(Reg) and naturally occurring CD4(+)CD25(+) T(Reg) may have distinct origins.

publication date

  • May 15, 2004

Research

keywords

  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
  • Interleukin-10
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 2442450433

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.4049/jimmunol.172.10.5986

PubMed ID

  • 15128781

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 172

issue

  • 10