期刊名称：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN：0027-8424
电子版ISSN：1091-6490
出版年度：2005
卷号：102
期号：18
页码：6449-6454
DOI：10.1073/pnas.0502187102
语种：English
出版社：The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要：Copolymer-I (COP-I) has unique immune regulatory properties and is a treatment option for multiple sclerosis (MS). This study revealed that COP-I induced the conversion of peripheral CD4+CD25- to CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells through the activation of transcription factor Foxp3. COP-I treatment led to a significant increase in Foxp3 expression in CD4+ T cells in MS patients whose Foxp3 expression was reduced at baseline. CD4+CD25+ T cell lines generated by COP-I expressed high levels of Foxp3 that correlated with an increased regulatory potential. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the induction of Foxp3 in CD4+ T cells by COP-I was mediated through its ability to produce IFN-{gamma} and, to a lesser degree, TGF-{beta}1, as shown by antibody blocking and direct cytokine induction of Foxp3 expression in T cells. It was evident that in vitro treatment and administration with COP-I significantly raised the level of Foxp3 expression in CD4+ T cells and promoted conversion of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in wild-type B6 mice but not in IFN-{gamma} knockout mice. This study provides evidence for the role and mechanism of action of COP-I in the induction of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in general and its relevance to the treatment of MS.
