| First Author | Kieback E | Year | 2016 |
| Journal | Immunity | Volume | 44 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 1114-26 |
| PubMed ID | 27192577 | Mgi Jnum | J:313331 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6142256 | Doi | 10.1016/j.immuni.2016.04.018 |
| Citation | Kieback E, et al. (2016) Thymus-Derived Regulatory T Cells Are Positively Selected on Natural Self-Antigen through Cognate Interactions of High Functional Avidity. Immunity 44(5):1114-26 |
| abstractText | Regulatory T (Treg) cells expressing Foxp3 transcripton factor are essential for immune homeostasis. They arise in the thymus as a separate lineage from conventional CD4(+)Foxp3(-) T (Tconv) cells. Here, we show that the thymic development of Treg cells depends on the expression of their endogenous cognate self-antigen. The formation of these cells was impaired in mice lacking this self-antigen, while Tconv cell development was not negatively affected. Thymus-derived Treg cells were selected by self-antigens in a specific manner, while autoreactive Tconv cells were produced through degenerate recognition of distinct antigens. These distinct modes of development were associated with the expression of T cell receptor of higher functional avidity for self-antigen by Treg cells than Tconv cells, a difference subsequently essential for the control of autoimmunity. Our study documents how self-antigens define the repertoire of thymus-derived Treg cells to subsequently endow this cell type with the capacity to undermine autoimmune attack. |
