IL-10 and Regulatory T Cells Cooperate in Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy To Ameliorate Allergic Asthma (original) (raw)

Selective depletion of Foxp3+ Treg during sensitization phase aggravates experimental allergic airway inflammation

European Journal of Immunology, 2010

Recent studies highlight the role of Treg in preventing unnecessary responses to allergens and maintaining functional immune tolerance in the lung. We investigated the role of Treg during the sensitization phase in a murine model of experimental allergic airway inflammation by selectively depleting the Treg population in vivo. DEpletion of REGulatory T cells (DEREG) mice were depleted of Treg by diphtheria toxin injection. Allergic airway inflammation was induced using OVA as a model allergen. Pathology was assessed by scoring for differential cellular infiltration in bronchoalveolar lavage, IgE and IgG1 levels in serum, cytokine secretion analysis of lymphocytes from lung draining lymph nodes and lung histology. Use of DEREG mice allowed us for the first time to track and specifically deplete both CD25 1 and CD25 À Foxp3 1 Treg, and to analyze their significance in limiting pathology in allergic airway inflammation. We observed that depletion of Treg during the priming phase of an active immune response led to a dramatic exacerbation of allergic airway inflammation in mice, suggesting an essential role played by Treg in regulating immune responses against allergens as early as the sensitization phase via maintenance of functional tolerance.

Peripherally Generated Foxp3(+) Regulatory T Cells Mediate the Immunomodulatory Effects of IVIg in Allergic Airways Disease

Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 2017

IVIg is widely used as an immunomodulatory therapy. We have recently demonstrated that IVIg protects against airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and inflammation in mouse models of allergic airways disease (AAD), associated with induction of Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Treg). Using mice carrying a DTR/EGFP transgene under the control of the Foxp3 promoter (DEREG mice), we demonstrate in this study that IVIg generates a de novo population of peripheral Treg (pTreg) in the absence of endogenous Treg. IVIg-generated pTreg were sufficient for inhibition of OVA-induced AHR in an Ag-driven murine model of AAD. In the absence of endogenous Treg, IVIg failed to confer protection against AHR and airway inflammation. Adoptive transfer of purified IVIg-generated pTreg prior to Ag challenge effectively prevented airway inflammation and AHR in an Ag-specific manner. Microarray gene expression profiling of IVIg-generated pTreg revealed upregulation of genes associated with cell cycle, chromatin, cy...

Contribution of regulatory T cells to alleviation of experimental allergic asthma after specific immunotherapy

Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2012

Background Allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) has been used since 1911, yet its mechanism of action remains to be elucidated. There is evidence indicating that CD4 + FOXP3 + regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are induced during SIT in allergic patients. However, the contribution of these cells to SIT has not been evaluated in vivo. Objective To evaluate the in vivo contribution of (i) CD4 + CD25 + T cells during SIT and of (ii) SIT-generated inducible FOXP3 + Treg cells during allergen exposure to SIT-mediated suppression of asthmatic manifestations. Methods We used a mouse model of SIT based on the classical OVA-driven experimental asthma. Treg cells were quantified by flow cytometry 24 and 96 h post SIT treatment. We depleted CD4 + CD25 + T cells prior to SIT, and CD4 + FOXP3 + T cells prior to allergen challenges to study their contribution to the suppression of allergic manifestations by SIT treatment. Results Our data show that depletion of CD4 + CD25 + T cells at the time of SIT treatment reverses the suppression of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), but not of airway eosinophilia and specific IgE levels in serum. Interestingly, the number of CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + T cells is transiently increased after SIT in the spleen and blood, suggesting the generation of inducible and presumably allergen-specific Treg cells during treatment. Depletion of CD4 + FOXP3 + Treg cells after SIT treatment partially reverses the SIT-induced suppression of airway eosinophilia, but not of AHR and serum levels of specific IgE. Conclusion and clinical relevance We conclude that SIT-mediated tolerance induction towards AHR requires CD4 + CD25 + T cells at the time of allergen injections. In addition, SIT generates CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + T cells that contribute to the suppression of airway eosinophilia upon allergen challenges. Therefore, enhancing Treg cell number or their activity during and after SIT could be of clinical relevance to improve the therapeutic effects of SIT.

Role of Treg in immune regulation of allergic diseases

European Journal of Immunology, 2010

Allergy is a Th2-mediated disease that involves the formation of specific IgE antibodies against innocuous environmental substances. The prevalence of allergic diseases has dramatically increased over the past decades, affecting up to 30% of the population in industrialized countries. The understanding of mechanisms underlying allergic diseases as well as those operating in non-allergic healthy responses and allergen-specific immunotherapy has experienced exciting advances over the past 15 years. Studies in healthy non-atopic individuals and several clinical trials of allergen-specific immunotherapy have demonstrated that the induction of a tolerant state in peripheral T cells represent a key step in healthy immune responses to allergens. Both naturally occurring thymus-derived CD4 1 CD25 1 FOXP3 1 Treg and inducible type 1 Treg inhibit the development of allergy via several mechanisms, including suppression of other effector Th1, Th2, Th17 cells; suppression of eosinophils, mast cells and basophils; Ab isotype change from IgE to IgG4; suppression of inflammatory DC; and suppression of inflammatory cell migration to tissues. The identification of the molecules involved in these processes will contribute to the development of more efficient and safer treatment modalities.

Therapeutic approaches to allergy and autoimmunity based on FoxP3+ regulatory T-cell activation and expansion

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2009

Forkhead box protein 3-positive regulatory T (Treg) cells are indispensable for the maintenance of self-tolerance and immune homeostasis. They can also be exploited for the treatment of immunologic diseases, including autoimmune diseases and allergy, by way of activating and expanding antigen-specific Treg cells in vivo. Cell therapy with in vitro activated and expanded Treg cells can be another therapeutic modality. The feasibility of such Treg cell-based therapeutic strategies is discussed based on recent advances in our understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of Treg cell development and function. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2009;123:749-55.)

Regulatory T cells and immune regulation of allergic diseases: roles of IL-10 and TGF-β

Genes and Immunity, 2014

The prevalence of allergic diseases has significantly increased in industrialized countries. Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) remains as the only curative treatment. The knowledge about the mechanisms underlying healthy immune responses to allergens, the development of allergic reactions and restoration of appropriate immune responses to allergens has significantly improved over the last decades. It is now well-accepted that the generation and maintenance of functional allergen-specific regulatory T (Treg) cells and regulatory B (Breg) cells are essential for healthy immune responses to environmental proteins and successful AIT. Treg cells comprise different subsets of T cells with suppressive capacity, which control the development and maintenance of allergic diseases by various ways of action. Molecular mechanisms of generation of Treg cells, the identification of novel immunological organs, where this might occur in vivo, such as tonsils, and related epigenetic mechanisms are starting to be deciphered. The key role played by the suppressor cytokines interleukin (IL)-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-b produced by functional Treg cells during the generation of immune tolerance to allergens is now well established. Treg and Breg cells together have a role in suppression of IgE and induction of IgG4 isotype allergen-specific antibodies particularly mediated by IL-10. Other cell types such as subsets of dendritic cells, NK-T cells and natural killer cells producing high levels of IL-10 may also contribute to the generation of healthy immune responses to allergens. In conclusion, better understanding of the immune regulatory mechanisms operating at different stages of allergic diseases will significantly help the development of better diagnostic and predictive biomarkers and therapeutic interventions.

Induction of T helper type 1–like regulatory cells that express Foxp3 and protect against airway hyper-reactivity

Nature Immunology, 2004

The range of regulatory T cell (T R cell) types that control immune responses is poorly understood. We describe here a population of T R cells that developed in vivo from naive CD4 + CD25 -T cells during a T helper type 1 (T H 1)-polarized response, distinct from CD25 + T R cells. These antigen-specific T R cells were induced by CD8a + DCs, produced both interleukin 10 and interferon-c, and potently inhibited the development of airway hyper-reactivity. These T R cells expressed the transcription factors Foxp3 and T-bet, indicating that these T R cells are related to T H 1 cells. Thus, adaptive T R cells are heterogeneous and comprise T H 1-like T R cells as well as previously described T H 2-like T R cells, which express Foxp3 and are induced during the development of respiratory tolerance by CD8a -DCs.