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Self‐Sustained Resistance to Suppression of CD8+ Teff Cells at the Site of Autoimmune Inflammation Can Be Reversed by Tumor Necrosis Factor and Interferon‐γ Blockade
Author(s) -
Petrelli Alessandra,
Wehrens Ellen J.,
Scholman Rianne C.,
Prakken Berent J.,
Vastert Sebastian J.,
van Wijk Femke
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
arthritis and rheumatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.106
H-Index - 314
eISSN - 2326-5205
pISSN - 2326-5191
DOI - 10.1002/art.39418
Subject(s) - cd8 , tumor necrosis factor alpha , immunology , cytotoxic t cell , cytokine , inflammation , autocrine signalling , blockade , cancer research , biology , medicine , immune system , receptor , in vitro , biochemistry
Objective Resistance of Teff cells to Treg cell–mediated suppression contributes to the breakdown of peripheral tolerance in the inflamed joints of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). However, unanswered questions are whether this resistant phenotype is self‐sustained and whether CD8+ and CD4+ Teff cells share the same mechanism of resistance to suppression. We undertook this study to investigate intrinsic resistance of CD8+ Teff cells to suppression and to determine how this can be targeted therapeutically. Methods CD8+ or CD4+ Teff cells were cultured with or without antigen‐presenting cells (APCs) in Treg cell–dependent and –independent suppression assays. Synovial fluid (SF)–derived Teff cells were crosscultured with peripheral blood (PB) Treg cells from JIA patients or healthy controls. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or interferon‐γ (IFNγ) blocking agents were used to restore Teff cell responsiveness to suppression. Results Suppression of cell proliferation and cytokine production in CD8+ Teff cells from the SF of JIA patients was severely impaired compared to that in CD8+ Teff cells from the PB of JIA patients, regardless of the presence of APCs and CD4+ Teff cells. Similar to CD4+ Teff cells, impaired suppression of CD8+ Teff cells was shown to be an intrinsic feature of this cell population. While TNF blockade restored both CD8+ and CD4+ Teff cell susceptibility to suppression, autocrine release of IFNγ selectively sustained CD8+ Teff cell resistance, which could be relieved by IFNγ blockade. Conclusion Unlike CD4+ Teff cells, resistance of CD8+ Teff cells to suppression at the site of autoimmune inflammation is maintained by autocrine release of IFNγ, and blockade of IFNγ restores CD8+ Teff cell responsiveness to suppression. These findings indicate a potential therapeutic value of blocking IFNγ to restore immune regulation in JIA.