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Review
. 2016 Nov 30:7:549.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00549. eCollection 2016.

Molecular and Cellular Characterization of Human CD8 T Suppressor Cells

Zheng Xu  1 , Sophey Ho  1 , Chih-Chao Chang  1 , Qing-Yin Zhang  1 , Elena-Rodica Vasilescu  1 , George Vlad  1 , Nicole Suciu-Foca  1
Affiliations
Review

Molecular and Cellular Characterization of Human CD8 T Suppressor Cells

Zheng Xu et al. Front Immunol. .

Abstract

Bidirectional interactions between dendritic cells and Ag-experienced T cells initiate either a tolerogenic or immunogenic pathway. The outcome of these interactions is of crucial importance in malignancy, transplantation, and autoimmune diseases. Blockade of costimulation results in the induction of T helper cell anergy and subsequent differentiation of antigen-specific CD8+ T suppressor/regulatory cells (Ts). Ts, primed in the presence of inhibitory signals, exert their inhibitory function in an antigen-specific manner, a feature with tremendous clinical potential. In transplantation or autoimmunity, antigen-specific Ts can enforce tolerance to auto- or allo-antigens, while otherwise leaving the immune response to pathogens uninhibited. Alternatively, blockade of inhibitory receptors results in the generation of cytolytic CD8+ T cells, which is vital toward defense against tumors and viral diseases. Because CD8+ T cells are MHC Class I restricted, they are able to recognize HLA-bound antigenic peptides presented not only by APC but also on parenchymal cells, thus eliciting or suppressing auto- or allo-immune reactions.

Keywords: CD8+ T suppressor cells; ILT3; autoimmune disease; co-stimulation blockade; gene profile of CD8+ Ts; transplantation.

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