Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) can induce T cell activation as well as T cell tolerance. The molecular mechanisms by which APCs regulate this critical decision of the immune system are not well understood. Here we show that Stat3 signaling plays a critical role in the induction of antigen-specific T cell tolerance. Targeted disruption of Stat3 signaling in APCs resulted in priming of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells in response to an otherwise tolerogenic stimulus in vivo. Furthermore, APCs devoid of Stat3 effectively break antigen-specific T cell anergy in vitro. Conversely, increased Stat3 activity in APCs led to impaired antigen-specific T cell responses. Stat3 signaling provides, therefore, a novel molecular target for manipulation of immune activation/tolerance, a central decision with profound implications in autoimmunity, transplantation, and cancer immunotherapy.
CITATION STYLE
Cheng, F., Wang, H. W., Cuenca, A., Huang, M., Ghansah, T., Brayer, J., … Sotomayor, E. M. (2003). A critical role for Stat3 signaling in immune tolerance. Immunity, 19(3), 425–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1074-7613(03)00232-2
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