Induction of MHC-class I restricted human suppressor T cells by peptide priming in vitro

• Published in: Human immunology 1998-11, Vol.59 (11), p.690-699
• Main Authors: Jiang, Shuiping, Tugulea, Sorina, Pennesi, Giuseppina, Liu, Zhuoru, Mulder, Arend, Lederman, Seth, Harris, Paul, Cortesini, Raffaello, Suciu-Foca, Nicole
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Antibodies, Monoclonal - pharmacology; Antigen Presentation - immunology; Antigen-Presenting Cells; Antigens, CD - analysis; Cell Division; Coculture Techniques; Flow Cytometry; Gene Products, tat - immunology; Gene Products, tat - metabolism; Genes, T-Cell Receptor beta - genetics; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - immunology; HLA-DR Antigens - immunology; HLA-DR Antigens - metabolism; HLA-DRB1 Chains; Humans; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Lymphocyte Activation - immunology; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Peptides - immunology; Peptides - metabolism; Recombinant Proteins - immunology; Recombinant Proteins - metabolism; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - metabolism; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - cytology; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - metabolism; Tetanus Toxoid - immunology; Tetanus Toxoid - metabolism
• ISSN: 0198-8859; 1879-1166
• DOI: 10.1016/S0198-8859(98)00073-1

The induction of regulatory T cells may offer an effective means for specific immunosuppression of autoimmune disease and allograft rejection. The existence of suppressor T cells has been previously documented, yet their mechanism of action remains poorly characterized. Our studies demonstrate that T suppressor (Ts) cell lines can be generated by in vitro immunization of human PBMCs, with synthetic peptides or soluble proteins coupled to beads. Such Ts cells express the CD8 +CD28 − phenotype and show the following characteristics: (a) antigen specificity and restriction by self MHC Class I molecules; (b) limited TCR V beta gene usage; (c) ability to inhibit antigen-specific, MHC Class II restricted, Th proliferative responses; and (d) capacity to downregulate and/or inhibit the upregulation by Th of CD40, CD80, and CD86 molecules on APCs. The inhibitory activity of Ts on Th proliferation requires the tripartite interaction between Th, Ts, and APCs and results from inefficient costimulation of Th.