Dendritic cell-regulatory T-cell interactions control self-directed immunity

In addition to their immunostimulatory capacity, dendritic cells (DCs) play a crucial role in central and peripheral tolerance mechanisms. In the absence of an infection, immature DCs constantly take up, process and present self-antigens to specific T cells, which leads to the induction of T-cell anergy or deletion. In recent years, several additional mechanisms have been identified by which DCs constantly downregulate immune responses to maintain immunological tolerance. Among these are the complex interactions between several DC subtypes and different types of regulatory T cells. In this review, we summarize recent key findings and concepts in this field.