Cure of innate intestinal immune pathology by CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells

Immunol Lett. 2005 Mar 15;97(2):189-92. doi: 10.1016/j.imlet.2005.01.004.

Abstract

CD4+CD25+ regulatory T (T(R)) cells are a naturally occurring population of T cells that suppress the development of a variety of pathological immune responses. However, as human inflammatory diseases are usually not diagnosed until after the onset of clinical symptoms, it is of great interest to determine whether CD4+CD25+ T(R) cells can reverse established pathology. To examine this question we have utilized a murine model of human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), where pathology is triggered by infection of immune deficient RAG-/- mice with the pathogenic bacterium Helicobacter hepaticus. Here we demonstrate that adoptively transferred CD4+CD25+ T(R) cells can cure established intestinal inflammation that is mediated by innate immune activation in H. hepaticus-infected RAG-/- mice. CD4+CD25+ T(R) cell-mediated amelioration of innate intestinal pathology was accompanied by a reversal in systemic innate immune activation, but did not involve any detectable anti-bacterial effects, as bacterial colonization levels were unchanged. Cure of established pathology was not achieved using subpopulations of CD4+CD25- T cells, further emphasizing the enhanced regulatory activity of CD4+CD25+ T(R) cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology*
  • Inflammation / immunology
  • Intestines / immunology*
  • Intestines / pathology*
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2 / immunology*

Substances

  • Receptors, Interleukin-2