{"title":"Antigen-specific Treg cells induce infectious tolerance","authors":"Olivia Tysoe","doi":"10.1038/s41574-025-01182-0","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Regulatory T (T<sub>reg</sub>) cells can induce immune tolerance, making T<sub>reg</sub> cellular therapy a promising strategy to prevent autoimmunity. Clinical trials of T<sub>reg</sub> cell therapies so far have shown limited efficacy, probably due to the use of polyclonal T<sub>reg</sub> cells, which lack antigen specificity. A study in <i>Science Translational Medicine</i> demonstrates that T<sub>reg</sub> cells expressing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) specific to the HLA-A2 antigen (A2-CAR T<sub>reg</sub> cells) were able to induce persistent tolerance in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes mellitus.</p><p>Mice injected with BDC2.5 T<sub>eff</sub> cells alone experienced hyperglycaemia and autoimmune destruction of both the transplanted and native islets. Of the mice co-treated with A2-CAR T<sub>reg</sub> cells, 82% were protected from hyperglycaemia, compared with only 33% of mice treated with BDC2.5 T<sub>eff</sub> cells plus polyclonal T<sub>reg</sub> cells. As expected, the A2-CAR T<sub>reg</sub> cells prevented the autoimmune destruction of the transplanted HLA-A2<sup>+</sup> islet graft. Surprisingly, however, HLA-A2<sup>−</sup> islets in the pancreas were also protected, which suggests that the A2-CAR T<sub>reg</sub> cells had induced systemic tolerance even without the HLA-A2 antigen.</p>","PeriodicalId":18916,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Endocrinology","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":40.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Nature Reviews Endocrinology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-025-01182-0","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Regulatory T (Treg) cells can induce immune tolerance, making Treg cellular therapy a promising strategy to prevent autoimmunity. Clinical trials of Treg cell therapies so far have shown limited efficacy, probably due to the use of polyclonal Treg cells, which lack antigen specificity. A study in Science Translational Medicine demonstrates that Treg cells expressing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) specific to the HLA-A2 antigen (A2-CAR Treg cells) were able to induce persistent tolerance in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes mellitus.
Mice injected with BDC2.5 Teff cells alone experienced hyperglycaemia and autoimmune destruction of both the transplanted and native islets. Of the mice co-treated with A2-CAR Treg cells, 82% were protected from hyperglycaemia, compared with only 33% of mice treated with BDC2.5 Teff cells plus polyclonal Treg cells. As expected, the A2-CAR Treg cells prevented the autoimmune destruction of the transplanted HLA-A2+ islet graft. Surprisingly, however, HLA-A2− islets in the pancreas were also protected, which suggests that the A2-CAR Treg cells had induced systemic tolerance even without the HLA-A2 antigen.
期刊介绍:
Nature Reviews Endocrinology aspires to be the foremost platform for reviews and commentaries catering to the scientific communities it serves. The journal aims to publish articles characterized by authority, accessibility, and clarity, enhanced with easily understandable figures, tables, and other visual aids. The goal is to offer an unparalleled service to authors, referees, and readers, striving to maximize the usefulness and impact of each article. Nature Reviews Endocrinology publishes Research Highlights, Comments, News & Views, Reviews, Consensus Statements, and Perspectives relevant to researchers and clinicians in the fields of endocrinology and metabolism. Its broad scope ensures that the work it publishes reaches the widest possible audience.