FoxP3 + Treg cells and anergic T cells are the two regulatory phenotypes of T-cell responses associated with helminth infection. Here, we examine the T-cell responses in mice duringKeywords: Anergy r C-type lectin receptors r Dendritic cells r Helminth infection r Host-pathogen interactions r Mannose receptor r T-cell responses Additional supporting information may be found in the online version of this article at the publisher's web-site
IntroductionHelminth parasites can survive within their hosts for many years by suppressing T-cell driven protective immune responses and Th1/Th2-mediated pathology through the induction of regulatory networks that suppress inflammatory responses [1][2][3][4]. These regulatory networks include regulatory T cells (Treg) that in the context of helminth infection is widely understood. Treg cells supCorrespondence: Dr. Sandra M. O'Neill e-mail: sandra.oneill@dcu.ie press the immune response to helminth-driven Th1/Th2 immune pathology through the induction of IL-10 and TGF-β. Brugia malayi, infection induces a regulatory response with enhanced FoxP3 expression and increased cell surface expression of CTLA4, a negative regulator of T-cell function [5] while Schistosoma haematobium infection in humans has also been associated with FoxP3 + Treg cells with the highest percentage of this cell population observed in younger patients [6]. However, less is currently known about the regulatory response termed in vivo anergy or adaptive tolerance.Few studies have examined the role of anergenic T cells during helminth infection. The induction of this cell population is thought C 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.eji-journal.eu Eur. J. Immunol. 2016. 46: 1180-1192 Immunity to infection 1181 to be the result of the persistent contact of parasite antigen with immune cells during chronic helminth infection [7]. Anergenic T cells differ from Treg cells in that they do not express FoxP3 or produce IL-10 or TGF-β. Instead anergy is a hyporesponsive state with the failure of T cells to proliferate or produce cytokines when restimulated with antigens in vitro [8]. Anergic T cells do not secrete IL-2, a factor important for T-cell proliferation and effector responses. However, the addition of IL-2 can overcome this hyporesponsiveness, restoring helminth-driven T-cell responses. Gene analysis studies have identified a number of genes including Rnf128 (Grail), Itch, Egr2 and Egr3, and CblB that are involved in the induction and maintenance of T-cell anergy [9,10]. A number of helminth infections have shown T-cell anergy or Tcell hyporesponsiveness to be involved in immune suppression. Studies involving S. mansoni show the enhanced expression of GRAIL is linked to the suppression of Th2 cells and also using a filarial nematode, CD4 + T cells become functionally unresponsive [11,12]. Other studies indicate that anergenic-like T cells are the result of helminth infections, with an increase in anergenic markers and T-cell suppression [13][14][15][16]. Fasciola hepatica causes chronic liver d...