Open AccessAtopic dermatitis induces the expansion of thymus‐derived regulatory T cells exhibiting a Th2‐like phenotype in mice
Author(s) -
MoosbruggerMartinz Verena,
Tripp Christoph H.,
Clausen Björn E.,
Schmuth Matthias,
Dubrac Sandrine
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/jcmm.12806
Subject(s) - immunology , immune system , cytotoxic t cell , foxp3 , atopic dermatitis , population , biology , pathogenesis , medicine , in vitro , biochemistry , environmental health
Atopic dermatitis ( AD ) is a widespread inflammatory skin disease with an early onset, characterized by pruritus, eczematous lesions and skin dryness. This chronic relapsing disease is believed to be primarily a result of a defective epidermal barrier function associated with genetic susceptibility, immune hyper‐responsiveness of the skin and environmental factors. Although the important role of abnormal immune reactivity in the pathogenesis of AD is widely accepted, the role of regulatory T cells (T regs ) remains elusive. We found that the T reg population is expanded in a mouse model of AD , i.e. mice topically treated with vitamin D3 (VitD). Moreover, mice with AD ‐like symptoms exhibit increased inducible T‐cell costimulator (ICOS)‐, cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte antigen‐4 (CTLA‐4)‐ and Glycoprotein‐A repetitions predominant receptor (GARP)‐expressing T regs in skin‐draining lymph nodes. Importantly, the differentiation of T regs into thymus‐derived T regs is favoured in our mouse model of AD . Emigrated skin‐derived dendritic cells are required for T reg induction and Langerhans cells are responsible for the biased expansion of thymus‐derived T regs . Intriguingly, thymus‐derived T regs isolated from mice with AD ‐like symptoms exhibit a Th2 cytokine profile. Thus, AD might favour the expansion of pathogenic T regs able to produce Th2 cytokines and to promote the disease instead of alleviating symptoms.