Achieving antigen-specific immune regulation

Kevan C Herold1

  • 1Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Division of Endocrinology and Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA. kh318@columbia.edu

A study in this issue of the JCI shows that in response to autoantigens consisting of peptides from normal proteins, patients with diabetes mount a T cell response characterized by production of IFN-gamma (see the related article beginning on page 451). However, in response to these same antigens, T cells from normal control subjects produce IL-10. The antigen-specific response characterized by release of a regulatory cytokine suggests a mechanism for the control of autoimmunity that is initiated at the time of antigen presentation.

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