Regulatory T-Cell Counter-Regulation by Innate Immunity Is a Barrier to Transplantation Tolerance

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Innate immune signals foster adaptive immunity through activation of antigen-presenting cells. Recent in vitro evidence suggests that innate signaling may also contribute to immunity by countering the effects of regulatory T cells (T-regs), counter-regulation. We present in vivo evidence using a transgenic skin allograft model that the function of T-regs is lost in the setting of acute skin transplantation but remains intact when grafts were transplanted 1 month prior to allow surgery-induced inflammation to abate. Our findings identify T-reg counter-regulation as a naturally occurring process that accompanies transplantation and an important barrier to T-reg–mediated tolerance. Our finding further highlights the central role of regulatory cell deactivation in the initiation of the immune response.

Key words

Allograft
inflammation
T-reg
transplant
tolerance

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These two authors contributed equally to this work.