The purification and functional analysis of human CD4+CD25high regulatory T cells

Curr Protoc Immunol. 2006 May:Chapter 7:7.4B.1-7.4B.12. doi: 10.1002/0471142735.im0704bs72.

Abstract

Regulatory T cells were initially identified and isolated in the mouse, by virtue of their endogenous expression of CD25 (IL-2R alphachain) and shown to inhibit both the in vivo development of autoimmunity and the in vitro proliferation of nonregulatory, CD4+CD25- T cells. In contrast to mouse cells, human regulatory T cells are not purified by isolating all CD25-expressing CD4 T cells ex vivo. Such cells can be isolated by targeting only the small percentage of human CD4 T cells that express high levels of CD25. This is best achieved by FACS sorting using the level of CD25 expressed on CD4- T cells to place the gate for discriminating high expression of CD25. This unit provides two widely used methods to isolate (FACS) or to enrich (magnetic beads) human CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells from blood, along with an in vitro coculture assay to measure the anergic and suppressive features of human CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells.

MeSH terms

  • Flow Cytometry / methods*
  • Humans
  • Immunomagnetic Separation / methods*
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / physiology*

Substances

  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit