PERIPHERAL T-CELL TOLERANCE
- Author(s)
- Miller, JFAP; Morahan, G;
- Journal Title
- ANNUAL REVIEW OF IMMUNOLOGY
- Publication Type
- Journal Article
- Abstract
- The most efficient way to ensure self-tolerance in the T-cell repertoire is by intrathymic deletion of self-reactive clones. Antigens not present intrathymically may, however, influence the peripheral T-cell pool in various ways. They may of course activate T cells, provided that these have the correct specificity and affinity and that the antigens are presented in sufficient amounts on professional antigen-presenting cells. They may be ignored by T cells if some of these conditions are not met. In some forms, the antigen may be toleragenic for mature T cells. If the antigens persist in an immunogenic form, unresponsiveness may eventually be imposed as the end result of a powerful immune response. Extrathymic self-antigenic components are generally encountered early in development, and the way in which these influence peripheral T lympocytes has been studied by transgenic technology. They may be ignored by T cells if they are sequestered from the immune system, or if they are present in low amounts or on nonprofessional antigen-presenting cells which lack the appropriate accessory molecules or signals needed to activate the relevant T-cell subset. On the other hand, some of these self-antigens readily induce anergy in peripheral T cells, which may or may not involve downregulation of antigen receptors and coreceptors. Tolerance in the T-cell repertoire is therefore achieved not only by intrathymic deletion of self-reactive clones but also by several postthymic mechanisms.
- Publisher
- ANNUAL REVIEWS INC
- Keywords
- PANCREATIC BETA-CELLS; CLASS-II MHC; MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX; ANTIGEN-PRESENTING CELLS; TRANSGENIC MICE; CLONAL ANERGY; LYMPHOCYTES-T; THYMECTOMIZED MICE; INTERFERON-GAMMA; SYNGENEIC HOSTS
- Publisher's Version
- https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.immunol.10.1.51
- Terms of Use/Rights Notice
- Refer to copyright notice on published article.
Creation Date: 1992-01-01 12:00:00