Naturally occurring self-reactive CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells: universal immune code

Naturally occurring thymus-arisen CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells are considered to play a central role in self-tolerance. Precise signals that promote the development of Treg cells remain elusive, but considerable evidence suggests that costimulatory molecules, cytokines, the nature of the TCR and the niche or the context in which the T cell encounters antigen in the thymus play important roles. Analysis of TCR from Treg cells has demonstrated that a large proportion of this population has a higher avidity to self-antigen in comparison with TCR from CD4(+)CD25(-) cells and that peripheral antigen is required for their development, maintenance, or expansion. Treg cells have been shown to undergo expansion in the periphery, likely regulated by the presence of self-antigen. Many studies have shown that the involvement of Treg cells in the tolerance induction is antigen-specific, even with MHC-mismatched, in transplantation/graft versus host disease (GVHD), autoimmunity, cancer, and pregnancy. Theses studies concluded a vital role for self-reactive Treg cells in maintenance of the body integrity. Based on those studies, we hypothesize that self-reactive Treg cells are shared among all healthy individuals and recognize same self-antigens and their TCR encodes for few dominant antigens of each organ which defines the healthy self. These dominant self antigens can be regarded as "universal immune code".