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Skin‐versus gut‐skewed homing receptor expression and intrinsic CCR4 expression on human peripheral blood CD4 + CD25 + suppressor T cells
Author(s) -
Iellem Andrea,
Colantonio Lucia,
D'Ambrosio Daniele
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
european journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1521-4141
pISSN - 0014-2980
DOI - 10.1002/eji.200323658
Subject(s) - il 2 receptor , biology , homing (biology) , lymphocyte homing receptor , interleukin 21 , immunology , cytotoxic t cell , microbiology and biotechnology , t cell , immune system , cell , in vitro , cell adhesion , genetics , ecology
Abstract In humans and rodents a population of naturally occurring CD4 + CD25 + T cells are suppressor T (CD25 + Ts) cells, which are considered to maintain peripheral immunological tolerance. Recently, we have described a unique chemotactic response profile for human CD25 + Ts cells, but their homing potential remains poorly defined. Here, we document a heterogeneous homing potential of human peripheral blood CD25 + Ts cells consistent with their ability to mediate immunosuppression at distinct locations. Surprisingly, CD25 + Ts cells are depleted of gut‐homing integrin α 4 + β 7 + T cells, while being enriched in skin‐homing cutaneous lymphocyte antigen (CLA) + T cells. These findings document heterogeneous homing potential of peripheral blood‐borne CD25 + Ts cells with marked skewing for skin‐ versus gut‐homing. Expression of CCR4 associates with both CD25 and CLA cell surface markers, being highest on CD4 + CLA + CD25 + T cells. Importantly, CD4 + CD25 + Ts cells isolated from human cord blood lack expressionof CLA while expressing CCR4, suggesting intrinsic expression of CCR4 on CD25 + Ts cells. These observations indicate that the increased expression of CCR4, which is proposed to guide CD25 + Ts cells to DC, is an intrinsic feature of CD25 + Ts cells.