Conversion of peripheral CD4+CD25- T cells to CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells by IFN-γ in patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome

CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells from 25 Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) patients were stimulated by IFN-gamma to generate the induced CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (iTregs). Then, their phenotypical and functional characterizations were analyzed. Results show that iTregs can be generated from CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells in GBS patients by IFN-gamma in the presence of activating anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies in vitro. When CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells are stimulated by 40 ng/ml IFN-gamma for 3 days, the ratio of conversion is the highest under this condition and iTregs are similar to naturally occurring CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells of healthy donors phenotypically and functionally. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.