OX40 costimulation turns off Foxp3+ Tregs. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • OX40 is a recently identified T-cell costimulatory molecule that belongs to the TNF/TNFR superfamily. OX40 can be expressed by both activated T effector cells and Foxp3(+) Tregs. It is well known that OX40 delivers a potent costimulatory signal to T effector cells, but very little is known about the role of OX40 in regulating the suppressor properties of Foxp3(+) Tregs and the de novo generation of new inducible Foxp3(+) Tregs from T effector cells. In the present study, we found, by using a newly created foxp3gfp knockin model, that OX40 was dispensable for the genesis and suppressor functions of naturally arising CD4(+)Foxp3(+) Tregs, but stimulating OX40 on the Foxp3(+) Tregs abrogated their ability to suppress T effector cell proliferation, IFN-gamma production, and T effector cell-mediated allograft rejection. OX40 costimulation did not significantly affect proliferation and survival of the naturally arising Foxp3(+) Tregs, but profoundly inhibited Foxp3 gene expression. Importantly, OX40 costimulation to T effector cells prevented the induction of new inducible Foxp3(+) Tregs from T effector cells. Our study identified OX40 as a key negative regulator of Foxp3(+) Tregs and may have important clinical implications in models of transplantation and autoimmunity.

publication date

  • June 15, 2007

Research

keywords

  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Receptors, OX40
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC1988917

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 34948883517

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1182/blood-2007-01-070748

PubMed ID

  • 17575071

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 110

issue

  • 7