Regulatory potential and control of Foxp3 expression in newborn CD4+ T cells.

ABSTRACT: Thymectomy at day 3 after birth leads to autoimmune disease in some genetic backgrounds. Disease is thought to be caused by the lack/paucity of regulatory T cells. We show that 3-day-old mice already contain a significant compartment of Foxp3-expressing CD25(+)CD4(+) splenocytes. Whereas, in adult spleen, the subsets of regulatory T cells (CD25(+) and/or CD103(+)) express high amounts of Foxp3 mRNA, in 3-day-old mice, both thymic and splenic CD25(+)CD4(+) T cell subsets express lower amounts of Foxp3 mRNA, and CD103(+) cells are barely detected. In adult day 3-thymectomized mice, the CD25(+)CD4(+) T cell subset is overrepresented (most of the cells being CD103(+)) and expresses high amounts of Foxp3 mRNA, independent of the development of autoimmune gastritis. These cells control inflammat

SUBMITTER: Dujardin HC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC521951 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature