Likewise, Tconv derived from both beta-catenin inhibitor study cohorts had similar in vitro proliferative responses (data not shown) which is in line with previous findings

20. Moreover, altered IL-7Rα expression levels in MS were observable in both naïve and memory Tconv. Therefore, it is unlikely, that increased frequencies of recently activated cells with downregulated IL7Rα surface expression might account for the differences in IL-7Rα-MFIs between MS patients and healthy donors reported here. Collectively, our observations strongly suggest that signaling through IL-7/IL-7Rα is an important participant in Treg homeostasis and function despite their CD127low phenotype. In consistence, besides IL-2, IL-7 and other members of the common γ-chain receptor such as IL-4 and IL-15 were found to play a role in maintaining optimal suppressive potency of both human and murine Treg 9,

10. Of note, IL-7Rα together with TSLPR forms the receptor for find more TSLP. TSLP, released from epithelial cells of Hassall’s corpuscles in the thymic medulla activates both human thymic MDCs and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDC), which promote differentiation of CD4+CD8−CD25− thymocytes into Treg 13, 28. Moreover, signals from the IL-7 receptor are required for Treg development as shown in IL-7Rα knockout mice 14. Here, we found that TSLPR levels on peripheral MDC correlated well with IL-7Rα expression on Tconv and were significantly reduced on circulating MDC obtained from patients with MS. These observations indirectly suggest that a concomitant alteration of IL-7Rα/TSLPR expression in the thymic environment might negatively

interfere with Treg neogenesis. In consistence with this hypothesis, our finding of patient-derived Treg containing strikingly less cells expressing TCRs with dual specificity compared to Treg from healthy individuals is compatible with a contracted release of Treg from the thymus in patients with MS. Due to lack of allelic exclusion Chloroambucil in the TCR α locus two αβ-TCRs may be generated in a maturing thymocyte during the process of TCR gene rearrangement. Whereas TCRs with one common Vβ-chain but two distinct Vα-chains are detectable in at most one-third of Tconv, TCRs with dual specificity were found to be enriched in natural Treg 21. In our study, the percentages of Tconv expressing TCRs with both a Vα2+- and a Vα12+-chain were in the expected range of 27%, yet only 57% of patient-derived Treg versus 88% of donor Treg tested positive for a secondary TCR. The prevalences of Treg carrying TCRs of dual specificity also correlated with IL-7Rα- and TSLPR-MFIs on peripheral immune cells indicating that both IL-7/IL-7R and TSLP/TSLPR signaling might impact this intrinsic signature of thymus-derived Treg. The relevance of our observations is highlighted by recent findings in a murine model of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE).