5a). In addition, the percentage and total number of switched GC B cells were also enhanced after late stage Treg-cell disruption. These data indicate that Treg cells participate in the control of GCs throughout the entire response, and not just at the induction phase. Given the observation that Treg cells participate in the control of GC reactions, it was of interest to explore the frequency and phenotype of the splenic Treg-cell population after immunization with SRBC. To monitor Treg cells, Foxp3-GFP reporter mice were used.47 As shown in Fig. 6(a), CD4+ Foxp3+ T cells are readily detected in the spleens of these mice, allowing for enumeration and phenotypic

characterization. Of interest, the proportion of Foxp3+ Treg cells within the splenic CD4+ compartment was unaltered throughout the GC response this website (Fig. 6b), although total cellularity of the spleen increased modestly at days 8 and 12 (data not shown). As iTreg cells are probably activated to control the humoral Selleckchem KU-60019 response to novel antigens,

a range of surface markers were examined in an attempt to identify an activated iTreg-cell sub-set. When comparing naive with SRBC-challenged mice, no differences were found in the proportion of Treg cells expressing CD103, CD45RB, CD62L, CD178, GITR or PD-1 at any time-point (data not shown). Several reports have demonstrated the presence of Treg cells within the GCs of human and mouse secondary lymphoid tissue,44,45,60,61 indicating their ability to migrate into activated follicles.62 Accordingly, CXCR5 and CCR7 expression was examined on CD4+ Foxp3+ T cells from naive and immunized mice. As shown in Fig. 6(a), the splenic Treg-cell population consists of four sub-sets defined as CXCR5− CCR7+, CXCR5lo CCR7lo, CXCR5 CCR7− and CXCR5+ CCR7−. CXCR5− CCR7+ Treg cells would be expected to reside in T-cell zones with CXCR5lo CCR7lo Treg cells positioned at the borders of T-cell : B-cell

areas. CXCR5− CCR7− Treg cells would probably be found in red pulp tissue. Importantly, CXCR5+ CCR7− Treg cells should have the ability to migrate into B-cell follicles with the potential to control B-cell activity locally. In naive mice (day 0), the CXCR5− CCR7+, CXCR5lo CCR7lo, CXCR5− CCR7− and CXCR5+ CCR7− sub-sets composed 29%, 14%, 30% Oxymatrine and 27% of the Treg-cell compartment, respectively. It is of interest that all four sub-sets exist in unimmunized mice, suggesting that Treg cells patrol all areas of the spleen under steady-state conditions. The four Treg-cell sub-sets were similarly enumerated in SRBC-immunized mice at days 8, 12 and 18 post-challenge. Figure 6(c) shows no change in the frequency of CXCR5− CCR7+ and CXCR5+ CCR7− Treg cells during the course of the response, indicating no major shift of Treg cells from the T-cell zone into activated follicles. Percentages of CXCR5lo CCR7lo and CXCR5− CCR7− Treg cells were also unchanged (data not shown).