Impaired function of dendritic cells in alymphoplasia (aly/aly) mice for expansion of CD25⁺CD4⁺ regulatory T cells

Abstract

Alymphoplasia (aly/aly) mice are from a naturally occurring strain with a mutation in nuclear factor-kappa B inducing kinase (NIK). The NIK mutation causes disruption of the architecture of the thymus and spleen and aly/aly mice show decreased numbers of CD25⁺CD4⁺T cells in the spleen. For the expansion of CD25⁺CD4⁺T cells, interactions between dendritic cells (DCs) and CD25⁺CD4⁺ regulatory T cells are necessary. We investigated the ability of DCs to induce expansion of CD25⁺CD4⁺T cells. We found that DCs are reduced in the spleen of aly/aly mice, and showed low expressions of CD80, CD86 and MHC class II molecules on the surface. DCs from aly/aly mice showed decreased ability to present ovalbumin (OVA) to T cells from OVA specific TCR transgenic mice, and a decreased ability for alloantigen presentation. Further, DCs showed a decreased ability to induce expansion of CD25⁺CD4⁺T cells in vitro. Our results suggested that the impairment of DCs in aly/aly mice is responsible, at least in part, for the decreased numbers of CD25⁺CD4⁺T cells in the periphery of aly/aly mice.

• aly/aly mice
• CD25⁺CD4⁺T cells
• CD80/86
• dendritic cells
• MHC class II

Acknowledgements

We thank Ms. Haruka Fujimaki for providing helpful advice and discussion. This work was supported by grants from Yokohama City (16000098-0).