Regulatory T cells mediate local immunosuppression in lymphedema Journal Article


Authors: García Nores, G. D.; Ly, C. L.; Savetsky, I. L.; Kataru, R. P.; Ghanta, S.; Hespe, G. E.; Rockson, S. G.; Mehrara, B. J.
Article Title: Regulatory T cells mediate local immunosuppression in lymphedema
Abstract: Patients who suffer from lymphedema have impaired immunity and, as a result, are at an increased risk for infections. Furthermore, previous studies have shown that lymphadenectomy impairs acquisition of adaptive immune responses and antibody production in response to foreign antigens. Although it is clear that antigen presentation in lymph nodes plays a key role in adaptive immunity, the cellular mechanisms that regulate impaired immune responses in patients with lymphedema or following lymphatic injury remain unknown. We have previously found that axillary lymph node dissection, both clinically and in a mouse model, results in a marked increase in the number of regulatory T cells in the ipsilateral limb. In this study, we focus on the role of regulatory T cells in immunosuppression and show that regulatory T-cell proliferation in tissues distal to site of lymphatic injury contributes to impaired innate and adaptive immune responses. More importantly, using Foxp3-DTR transgenic mice, we show that depletion of regulatory T cells in the setting of lymphatic injury restores these critical immune-mediated responses. These findings provide additional evidence that immune responses following lymphatic injury play a key role in mediating the pathology of lymphedema. © 2017 The Authors
Keywords: controlled study; nonhuman; lymphocyte proliferation; animal cell; mouse; animal tissue; animal experiment; animal model; lymphedema; regulatory t lymphocyte; innate immunity; immune deficiency; adaptive immunity; t cell depletion; lymphoid tissue; lymphocyte function; immunopathogenesis; priority journal; article
Journal Title: Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Volume: 138
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0022-202X
Publisher: Elsevier Science, Inc.  
Date Published: 2018-02-01
Start Page: 325
End Page: 335
Language: English
DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2017.09.011
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC5794510
PUBMED: 28942366
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 1 March 2018 -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Babak Mehrara
    449 Mehrara
  2. Swapna Ghanta
    19 Ghanta
  3. Geoffrey Eckerson Hespe
    24 Hespe
  4. Raghu Prasad Kataru
    61 Kataru
  5. Catherine L Ly
    15 Ly