CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells are activated in vivo by recognition of self

Naturally occurring CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (nT(R)) comprise a separate lineage of T cells that are essential for maintaining immunological tolerance to self. Here we demonstrate that the level of phosphorylation of the TCR zeta-chain is similar to 1.5- to 4-fold higher in nT(R) as compared with CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells. The increased level of TCR zeta-chain phosphorylation is presumably secondary to their higher affinity for self, resulting in a stronger TCR signal as it was completely blocked by treatment with anti-MHC class II. The enhanced level of TCR zeta-chain phosphorylation was correlated with the capacity of nT(R) to develop non-specific suppressor effector function following culture with IL-2 or IL-4 in the absence of TCR stimulus. Thus, a sub-population of nT(R) is activated by recognition of self-peptide-MHC class II ligands in vivo, resulting in their capacity to be induced to mediate suppressor function in vitro in the absence of TCR stimulation.