Antigen-specific T-T interactions regulate CD4 T-cell expansion

作者：Helft Julie; Jacquet Alexandra; Joncker Nathalie T; Grandjean Isabelle; Dorothee Guillaume; Kissenpfennig Adrien; Malissen Bernard; Matzinger Polly; Lantz Olivier^*

来源：Blood, 2008, 112(4): 1249-1258.

DOI：10.1182/blood-2007-09-114389

The regulation of CD4 T-cell numbers during an immune response should take account of the amount of antigen (Ag), the initial frequency of Ag-specific T cells, the mix of naive versus experienced cells, and (ideally) the diversity of the repertoire. Here we describe a novel Mechanism of T-cell regulation that potentially deals with all of these parameters. We found that CD4 T cells establish a negative feedback loop by capturing their cognate major histocompatibility class (MHC)/peptide complexes from Ag-presenting cells and presenting them to Ag-experienced CD4 T cells, thereby inhibiting their recruitment into the response while allowing recruitment of naive T cells. The inhibition is Ag specific, begins at day 2 (long before Ag disappearance), and cannot be overcome by providing new Ag-loaded dendritic cells. In this way, CD4 T-cell proliferation is regulated in a functional relationship to the amount of Ag, while allowing naive T cells to generate repertoire variety.

• 出版日期2008-8-15