Essential Roles of CD8+CD122+ Regulatory T Cells in the Maintenance of T Cell Homeostasis

Abstract

Regulation of immune system is of paramount importance to prevent immune attacks against self-components. Mice deficient in the interleukin (IL)-2/IL-15 receptor β chain, CD122, are model animals of such immune attacks and characteristically have a high number of abnormally activated T cells. Here, we show that the transfer of CD8+CD122+ cells into CD122-deficient neonates totally prevented the development of abnormal T cells. Furthermore, recombination activating gene–2−/− mice that received wild-type mice–derived CD8+CD122− cells died within 10 wk after cell transfer, indicating that normal CD8+CD122− cells become dangerously activated T cells in the absence of CD8+CD122+ T cells. CD8+CD122+ cells could control activated CD8+ or CD4+ T cells both in vivo and in vitro. Our results indicate that the CD8+CD122+ population includes naturally occurring CD8+ regulatory T cells that control potentially dangerous T cells.