Regulation of life and death in lamina propria T cells

T cells are essential to initiation, amplification, and regulation of an immune response. This response is terminated when T cells undergo apoptosis, a physiological process of cell death triggered by various mechanisms and regulated by signaling pathways leading to enzymatic degradation of chromatin. An effective immune response depends on the proper balance between proliferation and death of activated T cells. This is particularly important in the intestine, where mucosal T cells are subjected to the high antigenic pressure of lumenal antigens and apoptosis is required to induce tolerance and maintain a state of 'physiological' inflammation. Insufficient apoptosis may result in excessive T cell retention and chronic intestinal inflammation, as seen in conditions associated with defective apoptosis of lamina propria T cells.