Effective treatment of collagen‐induced arthritis by adoptive transfer of CD25+ regulatory T cells

ME Morgan, R Flierman… - Arthritis & …, 2005 - Wiley Online Library
ME Morgan, R Flierman, LM van Duivenvoorde, HJ Witteveen, W van Ewijk, JM van Laar
Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2005Wiley Online Library
Objective Regulatory T cells play an important role in the prevention of autoimmunity and
have been shown to be effective in the treatment of experimental colitis, a T cell–mediated
and organ‐specific disease. We previously demonstrated that intrinsic CD25+ regulatory T
cells modulate the severity of collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA), which, in contrast to colitis, is
a systemic antibody‐mediated disease and an accepted model of rheumatoid arthritis. We
undertook this study to determine whether regulatory T cells have the potential to be used …
Objective
Regulatory T cells play an important role in the prevention of autoimmunity and have been shown to be effective in the treatment of experimental colitis, a T cell–mediated and organ‐specific disease. We previously demonstrated that intrinsic CD25+ regulatory T cells modulate the severity of collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA), which, in contrast to colitis, is a systemic antibody‐mediated disease and an accepted model of rheumatoid arthritis. We undertook this study to determine whether regulatory T cells have the potential to be used therapeutically in arthritis.
Methods
We transferred CD4+,CD25+ T cells into mice exhibiting arthritis symptoms, both immunocompetent mice and mice subjected to lethal irradiation and rescued with syngeneic bone marrow transplantation.
Results
A single transfer of regulatory T cells markedly slowed disease progression, which could not be attributed to losses of systemic type II collagen–specific T and B cell responses, since these remained unchanged after adoptive transfer. However, regulatory T cells could be found in the inflamed synovium soon after transfer, indicating that regulation may occur locally in the joint.
Conclusion
Our data indicate that CD25+ regulatory T cells can be used for the treatment of systemic, antibody‐mediated autoimmune diseases, such as CIA.
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