Costimulatory Interactions Determine Proliferation Versus Induction of Clonal Anergy During Type I CD4 + T-Cell Stimulation

Abstract

Work in our laboratory has recently focused on two aspects of T-cell responsiveness: a) the biochemical signalling events occurring upon antigen stimulation that are responsible for the initiation of lymphokine secretion and cell division, and b) the ability of a partial subset of these signals to induce an alternative pattern of activation leading to clonal anergy. Beyond the potential benefits to the understanding of T-cell physiology, this research has established an in vitro model of T-cell tolerance that may have important correlates to the maintenance of selftolerance in vivo. Discovery of the signalling events that determine the destiny of a T cell encountering antigen (either self or non-self) may both provide clues to the etiology of autoimmune or immunodeficiency diseases as well as provide a basis for the specific suppression of responses to transplanted tissues.