Abstract
The study of regulatory T cells (Treg) requires methods for both in vivo and in vitro analyses, both of which have different limitations, but which complement each other to give a more complete picture of physiological function than either method alone. Our analyses have focused on Treg-mediated suppression of CD8+ T cells, and in particular Tregs induced by viral infection. One of the unique characteristics of virus-induced Tregs is that they can suppress CD8+ T cell function in vitro without the requirement for additional stimulation. This ability correlates with their suppressive capacity and activated status in vivo. Interestingly, while virus-induced Tregs suppress CD8+ T cell function in vitro and in vivo, they do not suppress proliferation unless they are further activated in vitro.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Division of Intramural Research of the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
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Hasenkrug, K.J., Myers, L.M. (2011). In Vitro and In Vivo Analyses of Regulatory T Cell Suppression of CD8+ T Cells. In: Kassiotis, G., Liston, A. (eds) Regulatory T Cells. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 707. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61737-979-6_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61737-979-6_4
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