Diversity of TCRs on natural Foxp3+ T cells in mice lacking Aire expression.

ABSTRACT: Medullary thymic epithelial cells expressing the Aire gene play a critical role in the induction of tolerance to tissue-specific Ags (TSAs). It was postulated that recognition of Aire-controlled TSAs by immature thymocytes results in the selection of natural CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and enriches this repertoire in self-reactive receptors, contributing to its vast diversity. In this study, we compared the TCRs on individual Tregs in Aire+ and Aire- mice expressing a miniature TCR repertoire (TCRmini) along with GFP driven by the Foxp3 promoter (Foxp3GFP). The Treg TCR repertoires in Aire+ and Aire- TCRminiFoxp3GFP mice were similar and more diverse than their repertoires on CD4+ Foxp3- thymocytes. Further, TCRs found on potentially self-reactive T cells, with an activated pheno

SUBMITTER: Daniely D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3885241 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature