CD8+ Treg cells suppress CD8+ T cell-responses by IL-10-dependent mechanism during H5N1 influenza virus infection

Abstract

Although Treg-cell-mediated suppression during infection or autoimmunity has been described, functions of Treg cells during highly pathogenic avian influenza virus infection remain poorly characterized. Here we found that in Foxp3-GFP transgenic mice, CD8+ Foxp3+ Treg cells, but not CD4+ Foxp3+ Treg cells, were remarkably induced during H5N1 infection. In addition to expressing CD25, the CD8+ Foxp3+ Treg cells showed a high level of GITR and produced IL-10. In an adoptive transfer model, CD8+ Treg cells suppressed CD8+ T-cell responses and promoted H5N1 virus infection, resulting in enhanced mortality and increased virus load in the lung. Furthermore, in vitro neutralization of IL-10 and studies with IL-10R-deficient mice in vitro and in vivo demonstrated an important role for IL-10 production in the capacity of CD8+ Treg cells to inhibit CD8+ T-cell responses. Our findings identify a previously unrecognized role of CD8+ Treg cells in the negative regulation of CD8+ T-cell responses and suggest that modulation of CD8+ Treg cells may be a therapeutic strategy to control H5N1 viral infection. © 2013 The Authors. European Journal of Immunology.