Immune regulation by regulatory T cells: implications for transplantation

The induction of antigen-specific T cell tolerance and its maintenance in the periphery are critical for the immune system to prevent autoaggressive immune responses. Our current state of knowledge about the immunoregulatory mechanisms responsible for T cell tolerance in the periphery offers new possibilities for immunomodulation to prevent transplant rejection as well as to diminish autoimmune reaction or chronic allergy. There is growing evidence that dendritic cells, besides their well-known T cell stimulatory functions, also maintain and regulate T cell tolerance in the periphery. This control function is exerted by certain maturation stages and subsets of dendritic cells, and can be further influenced and modulated by immunoregulatory cytokines and drugs. The regulatory functions of dendritic cells include the induction of T cell anergy, of T cells with regulatory properties and of T cells that produce immunosuppressive cytokines such as IL-10 or TGF-beta. Additionally, distinct subsets of resident regulatory T cells generated in the thymus play a central role in maintenance of peripheral tolerance by active suppression of effector T cell populations. These CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells inhibit a variety of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and they are also efficient in the suppression of alloantigen responses. This review summarises the current knowledge regarding the immunoregulatory role of dendritic cells and the functional activities of resident regulatory T cells as guardians for peripheral T cell tolerance.