Chorny Alejo, Gonzalez-Rey Elena, Fernandez-Martin Amelia, Pozo David, Ganea Doina, Delgado Mario
Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, 18100 Granada, Spain.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Sep 20;102(38):13562-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0504484102. Epub 2005 Sep 6.
The induction of antigen-specific tolerance is critical for the prevention of autoimmunity and maintenance of immune tolerance. In addition to their classical role as sentinels of the immune response-inducing T cell reactivity, dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in maintaining peripheral tolerance through the induction/activation of regulatory T cells (Tr). The possibility to generate tolerogenic DCs opens new therapeutic perspectives in autoimmune/inflammatory diseases. Therefore, the characterization of the endogenous factors that contribute to the development of tolerogenic DCs is highly relevant. In this study, we report on the use of the known immunosuppressive neuropeptide, the vasoactive intestinal peptide, as a new approach to induce tolerogenic DCs with capacity to generate Tr cells, to restore tolerance in vivo, and to reduce the progression of rheumatoid arthritis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
诱导抗原特异性耐受对于预防自身免疫和维持免疫耐受至关重要。除了作为诱导T细胞反应性的免疫反应哨兵的经典作用外，树突状细胞（DCs）通过诱导/激活调节性T细胞（Tr）在维持外周耐受中发挥重要作用。产生耐受性DCs的可能性为自身免疫/炎症性疾病开辟了新的治疗前景。因此，鉴定促成耐受性DCs发育的内源性因子具有高度相关性。在本研究中，我们报告了使用已知的免疫抑制神经肽——血管活性肠肽，作为一种新方法来诱导具有产生Tr细胞能力、在体内恢复耐受性并减少类风湿性关节炎和实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎进展的耐受性DCs。
