T Regulatory Cells Control Numbers of NK Cells and CD8 alpha super(+) Immature Dendritic Cells in the Lymph Node Paracortex

The spleen contains numerous NK cells whose differentiation profile is characterized by a preponderance of mature elements located mainly in the red pulp. In contrast, lymph nodes (LNs) contain few NK cells and they are sited mostly in T cell zones and skewed toward immature developmental stages. We...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Immunology 2007-10, Vol.179 (7), p.4492-4502
Main Authors: Giroux, Martin, Yurchenko, Ekaterina, St.-Pierre, Jessica, Piccirillo, Ciriaco A, Perreault, Claude
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:The spleen contains numerous NK cells whose differentiation profile is characterized by a preponderance of mature elements located mainly in the red pulp. In contrast, lymph nodes (LNs) contain few NK cells and they are sited mostly in T cell zones and skewed toward immature developmental stages. We show that, in mice, naturally occurring CD4 super(+)Foxp3 super(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells are both necessary and sufficient to repress accumulation of NK cells in resting LNs. Moreover, we present evidence that Treg cells hamper generation of mature NK cells through short-range interactions with NK precursors. In turn, mature NK cells specifically regulate the amount of CD8 alpha super(+) phenotypically immature dendritic cells present in LN T cell zones. We propose that the dominant influence of Treg cells on NK cell precursors and CD8 alpha super(+) immature dendritic cells explains why "quiescent" LNs in the absence of infection function as privileged sites for induction and maintenance of tolerance to peripheral Ags.
ISSN:0022-1767
1365-2567