Lung injury induces a polarized immune response by self-antigen-specific CD4⁺ Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells.

ABSTRACT: Self-antigen-specific T cells are prevalent in the mature adaptive immune system but are regulated through multiple mechanisms of tolerance. However, inflammatory conditions such as tissue injury may allow these T cells to break tolerance and trigger autoimmunity. To understand how the T cell repertoire responds to the presentation of self-antigen under highly stimulatory conditions, we use peptide:major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II tetramers to track the behavior of endogenous CD4⁺ T cells with specificity to a lung-expressed self-antigen in mouse models of immune-mediated lung injury. Acute injury results in the exclusive expansion of CD4⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs) that is dependent on self-antigen recognition and interleukin-2 (IL-2). Conversely, conv

SUBMITTER: Shin DS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10529088 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature