TGF-beta 1 plays an important role in the mechanism of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell activity in both humans and mice

J Immunol. 2004 Jan 15;172(2):834-42. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.172.2.834.

Abstract

In previous studies, we have shown that murine CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells produce high levels of TGF-beta1 in a cell surface and/or secreted form, and blockade of such TGF-beta1 by anti-TGF-beta curtails the ability of these cells to suppress CD25- T cell proliferation and B cell Ig production in in vitro suppressor assays. In further support for the role of TGF-beta1 in suppression by CD4+CD25+ T cells, we show in this study that another TGF-beta1-blocking molecule, recombinant latency-associated peptide of TGF-beta1 (rLAP), also reverses suppression by mouse CD4+CD25+ T cells as well as their human counterparts, CD4+CD25(high) T cells. In addition, we show that CD25- T cells exposed to CD4+CD25+ T cells in vitro manifest activation of Smad-2 and induction of CD103, the latter a TGF-beta-inducible surface integrin. In further studies, we show that while CD4+CD25+ T cells from TGF-beta1-deficient mice can suppress CD25- T cell proliferation in vitro, these cells do not protect recipient mice from colitis in the SCID transfer model in vivo, and, in addition, CD4+LAP+, but not CD4+LAP- T cells from normal mice protect recipient mice from colitis in this model. Together, these studies demonstrate that TGF-beta1 produced by CD4+CD25+ T cells is involved in the suppressor activity of these cells, particularly in their ability to regulate intestinal inflammation.

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / transplantation
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Colitis / genetics
  • Colitis / immunology
  • Down-Regulation / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Inflammation Mediators / physiology
  • Intestinal Mucosa / immunology
  • Intestinal Mucosa / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, SCID
  • Peptide Fragments / biosynthesis
  • Peptide Fragments / pharmacology
  • Protein Binding / immunology
  • Protein Precursors / biosynthesis
  • Protein Precursors / pharmacology
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2 / biosynthesis*
  • Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / physiology
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
  • Signal Transduction / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / transplantation
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / biosynthesis
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / deficiency
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / genetics
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / physiology*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1

Substances

  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Protein Precursors
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2
  • Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • TGFB1 protein, human
  • Tgfb1 protein, mouse
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1