| Year | Reference |
|---|---|
|
2010
|
The calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus allows the induction of functional CD4CD25 regulatory T cells by rabbit anti-thymocyte globulins.
Clinical and experimental immunology
2010 Aug;161: 364-77
|
Rabbit anti-thymocyte globulins (rATG) induce CD4(+)CD25(+)forkhead box P3 (FoxP3(+)) regulatory T cells that control alloreactivity. In the present study, we investigated whether rATG convert T cells into functional CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+)CD127(-/low) regulatory T cells in the presence of drugs that may hamper their induction and function, i.e. calcineurin inhibitors. CD25(neg) T cells were stimulated with rATG or control rabbit immunoglobulin G (rIgG) in the absence and presence of tacrolimus for 24 h. Flow cytometry was performed for CD4, CD25, FoxP3 and CD127 and the function of CD25(+) T cells was examined in suppression assays. MRNA expression profiles were composed to study the underlying mechanisms. After stimulation, the percentage CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+)CD127(-/low) increased (from 2% to 30%, mean, P