Targeted CTLA-4 engagement induces CD4+CD25+CTLA-4high T regulatory cells with target (allo)antigen specificity

CTLA-4 (CD152) is actively involved in down-regulating T cell activation and maintaining lymphocyte homeostasis. Our earlier studies showed that targeted engagement of CTLA-4 can down-modulate T cell response and suppress allo- and autoimmune responses. In this study, we report that targeted CTLA-4 engagement can induce immune tolerance to a specific target through selective induction of an Ag-specific CD4(+)CD25(+)CTLA-4(high) regulatory T cell (Treg cell) population. Allogeneic cells coated with anti-CTLA-4 Ab induced immune hyporesponsiveness through suppression of proinflammatory cytokines IFN-gamma and IL-2, and up-regulation of the regulatory cytokines IL-10, TGF-beta1, and IL-4, presumably through the engagement of CTLA-4 on activated T cells. Although rechallenge with alloantigen failed to break the unresponsiveness, a transient recovery from tolerance was observed in the presence of high concentrations of exogenous IL-2, saturating concentrations of neutralizing anti-TGF-beta1 and anti-IL-10 Abs, and blocking anti-CTLA-4 Ab, and upon depletion of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells. The CD4(+)CD25(+)CTLA-4(high) Treg cells from tolerant mice suppressed the effector function of CD25(-) T cells from Ag-primed mice. Adoptive transfer of these Treg cells into Ag-primed mice resulted in a significantly reduced alloantigen-specific response. Further characterization demonstrated that the Treg cells with memory phenotype (CD62L(-)) were more potent in suppressing the alloantigen-specific T cell response. These results strongly support that the targeted engagement of CTLA-4 has therapeutic potential for the prevention of transplant rejection.