Abstract
Lethal autoimmunity associated with IL-2Rβ-deficient mice is prevented after thymic transgenic expression of wild-type IL-2Rβ in IL-2Rβ-/- mice (Tg -/- mice). Here, we show that CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells were not readily detected in IL-2Rβ-/- mice, but the production of functional CD4+CD25+ T cells was reconstituted in Tg -/- mice. Adoptive transfer of normal CD4+CD25+ T cells into neonatal IL-2Rβ-deficient mice prevented this lethal autoimmune syndrome. The CD4+CD25+ T cells in disease-free adult IL-2Rβ-deficient recipient mice were present at a near normal frequency, were solely donor-derived, and depended on IL-2 for expansion. These observations indicate that the essential function of the IL-2/IL-2R system primarily lies at the level of the production of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 167-178 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Immunity |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 2002 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases