Autoreactive T cells escape clonal deletion in the thymus by a CD24-dependent pathway

作者：Carl Joseph W Jr; Liu Jin Qing; Joshi Pramod S; El Omrani Hani Y; Yin Lijie; Zheng Xincheng; Whitacre Caroline C; Liu Yang; Bai Xue Feng^*

来源：The Journal of Immunology, 2008, 181(1): 320-328.

Despite negative selection in the thymus, significant numbers of autoreactive T cells still escape to the periphery and cause autoimmune diseases when immune regulation goes awry. It is largely unknown how these T cells escape clonal deletion. In this study, we report that CD24 deficiency caused deletion of autoreactive T cells that normally escape negative selection. Restoration of CD24 expression on T cells alone did not prevent autoreactive T cells from deletion; bone marrow chimera experiments suggest that CD24 on radio-resistant stromal cells is necessary for preventing deletion of autoreactive T cells. CD24 deficiency abrogated the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in transgenic mice with a TCR specific for a pathogenic autoantigen. The role of CD24 in negative selection provides a novel explanation for its control of genetic susceptibility to autoimmune diseases in mice and humans.

• 出版日期2008-7-1