Self-antigen presentation by dendritic cells and lymphoid stroma and its implications for autoimmunity

The induction and maintenance of T cell tolerance is essential to prevent autoimmunity. A combination of central and peripheral mechanisms acts to control autoreactive T cells. In secondary lymphoid organs, dendritic cells (DCs) presenting self-antigen were thought to play a major role in the induction of peripheral T cell tolerance. Multiple recent studies have demonstrated that DCs are not absolutely essential to induce and maintain tolerance. Furthermore, it has also been recently shown that non-hematopoietic stromal cells expressing peripheral tissue-restricted antigens can induce T cell tolerance, independently of DCs. Together these studies imply that peripheral tolerance is more complex than previously thought and a consequence of the tolerogenic functions of the hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic compartments within secondary lymphoid organs.