, 2013a), FACS-sorted to high purity and, after labeling with Cell Proliferation Dye-ef450, transferred intraperitoneally to sex-matched recipient Tg4 mice. After 48 h, these mice were challenged with a single dose of a high MHC II affinity variant of the MBP Ac1-9 peptide (Ac-ASQYRPSQR). 72 h post-challenge the transferred iTreg cells were recovered from the spleen and analyzed for retention of Foxp3 expression, which had diminished greatly, regardless of the addition of anti-LFA-1 during the iTreg cell differentiation

culture (Fig. 3C). Although the instability in this model may be augmented by the GFP-Foxp3 fusion protein (Verhagen et al., 2013a), the in vivo stability data are in line with the CNS methylation http://www.selleckchem.com/products/U0126.html analysis and indicate that LFA-1 blockade during differentiation does not offer iTreg cells greater stability of Foxp3 expression. Despite a lack of CNS2 demethylation at levels akin to naturally occurring CD4+CD25+ Treg cells and stability of Foxp3 expression,

adoptive transfer of antigen-specific iTreg cells delayed the progression of CNS autoimmune disease. To demonstrate this, Tg4 mice received 5 × 106 iTreg cells intraperitoneally 3 days prior to EAE induction with MBP Ac1-9 in CFA. As shown in Fig. 3D, PS341 Tg4 iTreg cells generated using antigenic stimulation and anti-LFA-1 provided equal levels of protection compared to anti-CD3 + anti-CD28-induced Tg4 iTreg cells of similar purity, i.e. > 90%. Overall, we demonstrate here that functional iTreg cells can be differentiated from self-antigen-specific Tconv BCKDHA cells by in vitro stimulation with peptide in the presence of IL-2 and TGF-β. Importantly, the efficacy of

induction of Foxp3 expression is enhanced by the blockade of LFA-1 with monoclonal antibody. This will facilitate the differentiation of greater numbers of antigen-specific iTreg cells at high purity, thereby improving the feasibility, efficacy and safety of iTreg cell-based immunotherapy. The authors wish to thank Mrs. Louise Falk and Miss. Anna Lewis as well as the staff of the University of Bristol Animal Services Unit for assistance with the breeding and maintenance of animals. Furthermore, we thank Dr. Andrew Herman of the FMVS flow cytometry unit for advice and support. This work was supported by Wellcome Trust Programme grant number 091074. “
“Clostridium botulinum is a spore-forming obligate anaerobe which occurs naturally in the soil and is the causative agent of foodborne, wound and infant botulism ( Shukla and Sharma, 2005). Germinating spores of distinct strains of C. botulinum produce and secrete different serotypes of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), designated A–G, which can be absorbed through mucosal surfaces ( Swaminathan, 2011). Aerosolization of BoNT as a means of dissemination can pose a bioterrorist threat ( Shukla and Sharma, 2005, Arnon et al.