IL-10+ T cells compared to IFNg+/IL-10- T cells induced by IL-10 tolerogenic dendritic cells

Ex vivo generated tolerogenic dendritic cells (tDCs) have a strong therapeutic potential to induce antigen-specific iTreg upon infusion in patients. We previously demonstrated that IL-10 tDC-primed T cells are very suppressive and produce IL-10. Here, we show that the majority of the IL-10+ T cells co-express IFNγ, giving rise to the question whether these cells are proinflammatory or regulatory. Whole genome gene expression analysis revealed a strong regulatory gene profile and a suppressed Th1 gene profile for the IL-10/ IFNγ co-expressing CD4+ T cells. Naïve CD4+ T cells were co-cultured for 13 days with allogeneic IL-10 dendritic cells in the presence of anti-TNFα agents. After 13 days, T cells were restimulated with PMA and ionomycin. The total IL-10+ T cell population and the IFNγ+/ IL-10- T cell population were isolated with an IL-10/ IFNγ combined cytokine secretion assay and subsequent FACS sorting. Micro arrays were performed on samples of three independent donors.