cover image: CD4+ and CD8+ regulatory T cell characterization in the rat using a unique transgenic Foxp3-EGFP model

CD4+ and CD8+ regulatory T cell characterization in the rat using a unique transgenic Foxp3-EGFP model

1 Dec 2023

Background : Regulatory T cells (Treg) in diverse species include CD4 + and CD8 + T cells. In all species, CD8 + Treg have been only partially characterized and there is no rat model in which CD4 + and CD8 + FOXP3 + Treg are genetically tagged. Results : We generated a Foxp3-EGFP rat transgenic line in which FOXP3 gene was expressed and controlled EGFP. CD4 + and CD8 + T cells were the only cells that expressed EGFP, in similar proportion as observed with anti-FOXP3 antibodies and co-labeled in the same cells. CD4 + EGFP + Treg were 5–10 times more frequent than CD8 + EGFP + Treg. The suppressive activity of CD4 + and CD8 + Treg was largely confined to EGFP + cells. RNAseq analyses showed similarities but also differences among CD4 + and CD8 + EGFP + cells and provided the first description of the natural FOXP3 + CD8 + Treg transcriptome. In vitro culture of CD4 + and CD8 + EGFP − cells with TGFbeta and IL-2 generated induced EGFP + Treg. CD4 + and CD8 + EGFP + Treg were expanded upon in vivo administration of a low dose of IL-2. Conclusions : This new and unique rat line constitutes a useful model to identify and isolate viable CD4 + and CD8 + FOXP3 + Treg. Additionally, it allows to identify molecules expressed in CD8 + Treg that may allow to better define their phenotype and function not only in rats but also in other species.

Authors

Séverine Ménoret, Laurent Tesson, Séverine Remy, Victor Gourain, Céline Sérazin, Claire Usal, Aude Guiffes, Vanessa Chenouard, Laure-Hélène Ouisse, Malika Gantier, Jean-Marie Heslan, Cynthia Fourgeux, Jeremie Poschmann, Carole Guillonneau, Ignacio Anegon

Bibliographic Reference
Séverine Ménoret, Laurent Tesson, Séverine Remy, Victor Gourain, Céline Sérazin, et al.. CD4+ and CD8+ regulatory T cell characterization in the rat using a unique transgenic Foxp3-EGFP model. BMC Biology, 2023, 21 (1), pp.8. ⟨10.1186/s12915-022-01502-0⟩. ⟨inserm-04062418⟩
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01502-0
HAL Collection
['INSERM - Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale', 'CNRS - Centre national de la recherche scientifique', 'Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie', 'Nantes Université', 'Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie Translationnelle / CR2TI - Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology', 'UFR de médecine - Nantes Université']
HAL Identifier
4062418
Institution
['Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale', 'Nantes Université - pôle Santé', 'Universidad de Concepción - University of Concepcion [Chile]']
Laboratory
['Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie - Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology', 'Center for Climate and Resilience Research [Conception]']
Published in
France

Table of Contents