We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Expansion and function of Foxp3-expressing T regulatory cells during tuberculosis.
- Authors
Scott-Browne, James P; Shafiani, Shahin; Tucker-Heard, Glady's; Ishida-Tsubota, Kumiko; Fontenot, Jason D; Rudensky, Alexander Y; Bevan, Michael J; Urdahl, Kevin B
- Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) frequently establishes persistent infections that may be facilitated by mechanisms that dampen immunity. T regulatory (T reg) cells, a subset of CD4(+) T cells that are essential for preventing autoimmunity, can also suppress antimicrobial immune responses. We use Foxp3-GFP mice to track the activity of T reg cells after aerosol infection with Mtb. We report that during tuberculosis, T reg cells proliferate in the pulmonary lymph nodes (pLNs), change their cell surface phenotype, and accumulate in the pLNs and lung at a rate parallel to the accumulation of effector T cells. In the Mtb-infected lung, T reg cells accumulate in high numbers in all sites where CD4(+) T cells are found, including perivascular/peribronchiolar regions and within lymphoid aggregates of granulomas. To determine the role of T reg cells in the immune response to tuberculosis, we generated mixed bone marrow chimeric mice in which all cells capable of expressing Foxp3 expressed Thy1.1. When T reg cells were depleted by administration of anti-Thy1.1 before aerosol infection with Mtb, we observed approximately 1 log less of colony-forming units of Mtb in the lungs. Thus, after aerosol infection, T reg cells proliferate and accumulate at sites of infection, and have the capacity to suppress immune responses that contribute to the control of Mtb.
- Publication
The Journal of experimental medicine, 2007, Vol 204, Issue 9, p2159
- ISSN
0022-1007
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1084/jem.20062105