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Most T lymphocytes, including regulatory T cells (Treg cells), differentiate in the thymus. The age-dependent involution of this organ leads to decreasing production of T cells. Here we found that the output of new Treg cells from the thymus decreased substantially more than that of conventional T cells. Peripheral mouse and human Treg cells recirculated back to the thymus, where they constituted a large proportion of the pool of Treg cells and displayed an activated and differentiated phenotype. In the thymus, the recirculating cells exerted their regulatory function by inhibiting interleukin 2 (IL-2)-dependent de novo differentiation of Treg cells. Thus, Treg cell development is controlled by a negative feedback loop in which mature progeny cells return to the thymus and restrain development of precursors of Treg cells.
Via Krishan Maggon
NATURE IMMUNOLOGY | ARTICLE
Peripheral regulatory T lymphocytes recirculating to the thymus suppress the development of their precursorsNicolas Thiault,Julie Darrigues,Véronique Adoue,Marine Gros,Bénédicte Binet,Corine Perals,Bertrand Leobon,Nicolas Fazilleau,Olivier P Joffre,Ellen A Robey,Joost P M van Meerwijk& Paola RomagnoliAffiliationsContributionsCorresponding authorsNature Immunology (2015) doi:10.1038/ni.3150Received 18 December 2014 Accepted 17 March 2015 Published online 04 May 2015