Browsing by Author "Mucsi, Ashley Dawn"

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    The nature of regulatory t cell interactions with dendritic cells
    (2012) Mucsi, Ashley Dawn; Shi, Yan
    The immune system has developed several mechanisms responsible for discriminating against self and non-self antigens and preventing autoimmune responses from occurring within the body. Inactivation of auto-reactive lymphocytes and elimination of these cells prevents the generation of autoimmune responses ensuring that tolerance results in the periphery. A specialized subpopulation of CD4+ T cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs ), maintains peripheral self-tolerance through a diverse set of mechanisms. The mechanisms utilized by regulatory T cells are vast; however, the mechanisms by which Tregs modulate their suppressive function are not yet fully understood. Utilizing atomic force microscopy, we demonstrate that IL-2 stimulated Tregs interact intensely with dendritic cells (DC), which is dependent upon the LFA-1/ICAM-1 adhesion molecule. We propose that LF A-1 regulation differs between Tregs and CD4+ CD25- T cells, allowing Tregs to interact intensely with DCs abrogating any interaction with antigen­specific T cells. Our results illustrate how Tregs interact with DCs and its association with LF A-1 avidity regulation.