Repetitive Antigen Responses of LDL-Reactive CD4+ T Cells Induce Tr1 Cell-Mediated Immune Tolerance

TY - JOUR

T1 - Repetitive Antigen Responses of LDL-Reactive CD4+ T Cells Induce Tr1 Cell-Mediated Immune Tolerance

AU - Mailer, Reiner K

AU - Konrath, Sandra

AU - Zhan, Lydia

AU - Thode, Hanna

AU - Beerens, Manu

AU - Frye, Maike

AU - Ketelhuth, Daniel F J

AU - Renné, Thomas

AU - Hansson, Göran K

PY - 2023/8

Y1 - 2023/8

N2 - BACKGROUND: Inflammation triggered by the deposition of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) in the arterial wall leads to the development of atherosclerosis. Regulatory T (Treg) cells inhibit vascular inflammation through the induction of immune tolerance toward LDL-related antigens. However, tolerogenic mechanisms that promote the generation of LDL-specific Treg cells in vivo remain unclear.METHODS: We identified LDL-specific T cells by activation-induced marker expression and analyzed expression profiles and suppressive functions of TCR (T-cell antigen receptor)-transgenic T cells upon repetitive transfer into antigen-transgenic mice via flow cytometry.RESULTS: We investigated the naturally occurring Treg-cell response against human LDL in standard chow diet-fed mice that are transgenic for human ApoB100 (apolipoprotein B100). We found that IL (interleukin)-10 expression in LDL-specific T cells from spleen increases with age, albeit LDL-specific populations do not enlarge in older mice. To investigate the generation of IL-10-producing LDL-specific T cells, we transferred naive CD4+ T cells recognizing human ApoB100 from TCR-transgenic mice into human ApoB100-transgenic mice. Adoptive transfer of human ApoB100-specific T cells induced immune tolerance in recipient mice and effectively inhibited activation of subsequently transferred naive T cells of the same specificity in vivo. Moreover, repetitive transfers increased the population of Treg type 1 cells that suppress ApoB100-specific responses via IL-10. In a translational approach, LDL-specific Treg type 1 cells from blood of healthy donors suppressed the activation of monocytic THP-1 cells in an IL-10-dependent manner.CONCLUSIONS: We show that repetitive transfer of naive ApoB100-specific T cells and recurrent LDL-specific T-cell stimulation induces Treg type 1 cell-mediated immune tolerance against LDL in vivo. Our results provide insight into the generation of autoantigen-specific anti-inflammatory T cells under tolerogenic conditions.

AB - BACKGROUND: Inflammation triggered by the deposition of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) in the arterial wall leads to the development of atherosclerosis. Regulatory T (Treg) cells inhibit vascular inflammation through the induction of immune tolerance toward LDL-related antigens. However, tolerogenic mechanisms that promote the generation of LDL-specific Treg cells in vivo remain unclear.METHODS: We identified LDL-specific T cells by activation-induced marker expression and analyzed expression profiles and suppressive functions of TCR (T-cell antigen receptor)-transgenic T cells upon repetitive transfer into antigen-transgenic mice via flow cytometry.RESULTS: We investigated the naturally occurring Treg-cell response against human LDL in standard chow diet-fed mice that are transgenic for human ApoB100 (apolipoprotein B100). We found that IL (interleukin)-10 expression in LDL-specific T cells from spleen increases with age, albeit LDL-specific populations do not enlarge in older mice. To investigate the generation of IL-10-producing LDL-specific T cells, we transferred naive CD4+ T cells recognizing human ApoB100 from TCR-transgenic mice into human ApoB100-transgenic mice. Adoptive transfer of human ApoB100-specific T cells induced immune tolerance in recipient mice and effectively inhibited activation of subsequently transferred naive T cells of the same specificity in vivo. Moreover, repetitive transfers increased the population of Treg type 1 cells that suppress ApoB100-specific responses via IL-10. In a translational approach, LDL-specific Treg type 1 cells from blood of healthy donors suppressed the activation of monocytic THP-1 cells in an IL-10-dependent manner.CONCLUSIONS: We show that repetitive transfer of naive ApoB100-specific T cells and recurrent LDL-specific T-cell stimulation induces Treg type 1 cell-mediated immune tolerance against LDL in vivo. Our results provide insight into the generation of autoantigen-specific anti-inflammatory T cells under tolerogenic conditions.

U2 - 10.1161/ATVBAHA.123.319135

DO - 10.1161/ATVBAHA.123.319135

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 37259863

VL - 43

SP - 1510

EP - 1523

JO - ARTERIOSCL THROM VAS

JF - ARTERIOSCL THROM VAS

SN - 1079-5642

IS - 8

ER -