Regulatory T - cells in Transplant & Autoimmunity 10:30 AM–12:30 PM, 5/13/2005 OR - 01 - Distinct Regulatory Functions Are Defined by HLA - DR Expression on Human CD4 + CD25 high Treg Cells. C. M. Baecher - Allan, E. Wolf, D. A. Hafler. 1 Center for Neurologic Disease, Harvard Medical School & Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. Although the CD4 + CD25 high regulatory T cell population represents only 2–3% of all peripheral blood CD4 T cells, it contains over one third of all class II expressing T cells in the peripheral blood. Highly purified, FACS-sorted DR + (∼30% DR + CD25 high ) and DR- (∼70% DR-CD25 high ) CD4 + CD62L high CD25 high Treg cells demonstrate equivalent suppressive activity in an anti-CD3 driven, in vitro ‘micro’ co-culture system. Both types of CD25 high Treg cells exhibit cell contact-dependent suppression, anergy, and expression of Foxp3 mRNA, at only slightly different levels. Substantial differences in the inhibitory nature of the DR + CD25 high and DR-CD25 high populations are uncovered when the cells are provided with different strength costimulatory signals. Upon CD2 costimulation, DR + CD25 high co-cultures exhibit a strong, early suppression of
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