Allospecific CD8 T suppressor cells induced by multiple MLC stimulation or priming in the presence of ILT3.Fc have similar gene expression profiles.

Alloantigen specific CD8 T suppressor cells can be generated in vitro either by multiple stimulations of CD3 T cells with allogeneic APC or by single stimulation in primary MLC containing recombinant ILT3.Fc protein. The aim of the present study was to determine whether multiple MLC stimulation induced in CD8(+) CD28(-) T suppressor cells molecular changes that are similar to those observed in CD8 T suppressor cells from primary MLC containing ILT3.Fc protein. Our study demonstrates that the characteristic signatures of CD8 T suppressor cells, generated by either of these methods are the same consisting of up-regulation of the BCL6 transcriptional repressor and down-regulation of inflammatory microRNAs, miR-21, miR-30b, miR-146a, and miR-155 expression. In conclusion microRNAs which are increased under inflammatory conditions in activated CD4 and CD8 T cells with helper or cytotoxic function show low levels of expression in CD8 T cells which have acquired antigen-specific suppressor activity.