DC can present and cross-present self-antigens to autoreactive CD4 1 and CD8 1 T cells, respectively, and incapacitate them by inducing anergy, deletion or converting them into Treg. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in immune tolerance research, which has been achieved by employing antigen-and TCR-transgenic mice. We cover the numerous discoveries that have furthered our knowledge of the DC subsets and maturation pathways involved in tolerance; the signals, such as CD70, TGF-b, B7-H1/PD-L1, which dictate the decision between immunity and tolerance; and the in vivo role of DC in the maintenance of CD4 1 T-cell tolerance and CD8 1 T-cell cross-tolerance.Key words: Cross-presentation/priming . DC . T cells . Tolerance
IntroductionTolerance of T cells to self-antigens is controlled at several levels. Thymic selection results in the release of high-affinity T cells specific for non-self-antigens, low-affinity T cells specific for self-antigens, and so-called natural Treg (nTreg) with an intermediate affinity to both self-and non-self-antigens into the circulation. In the steady-state, the self-reactive T cells may then interact with tissue cells or professional APC that present self-antigens both on MHC class I and II molecules. In the absence of infection or inflammation naive T cells will be either deleted, anergized, converted into adaptive CD4 1 CD251 Foxp3 1 Treg (aTreg) or develop into CD4 1 Foxp3 À IL-10-producing Treg (Tr1) [1,2]. The specific outcome is directed not only by the DC subset involved, the activation state of the DC, and the cytokine milieu of the anatomical location, but also by T-cell-intrinsic factors such as the TCR avidity. In addition, the nTreg, derived from the thymus, are continuously re-activated in LN to control self-reactive effector T cells [3]. The critical role for DC in the maintenance of CD4 1 T-cell self-tolerance has been summarized before [4] and has been further highlighted recently by conditional ablation of DC in mice [5][6][7]. Here, we review the recent findings relating to the mechanisms of DC presentation and cross-presentation of self-antigens in the maintenance of CD4 1 T-cell tolerance and CD8 1 T-cell cross-tolerance obtained using transgenic technology to visualize the otherwise very small repertoires of self-antigen-specific CD4 1 and CD8 1 T cells. This review will focus on the conventional (non-plasmacytoid) DC, referred to herein as DC.Antigen transport pathways for CD4 1 T-cell toleranceinduction in the draining LNThe immune system needs to be tolerized against self-antigens, including soluble and tissue-associated antigens, obtained for example from apoptotic cells [8]. LN-resident DC can capture soluble antigens from the reticular conduit system that originates from the upstream afferent lymphatics [9,10] Factors involved in the initiation, guidance and function of ssmDC In contrast to the factors guiding DC migration for T-cell priming, much less is known about the factors that control the mobilization of ssmDC. Only the requirement of CCR7 ...