Regulatory T cells contribute to allergen tolerance induced by daily airway immunostimulant exposures.

Endotoxin and other immunostimulants ubiquitous in ambient air are potent mucosal adjuvants, yet only a minority of individuals develop aeroallergen hypersensitivities, whereas the majority develop tolerance. These investigations were performed to reconcile this paradox. During initial experiments, mice received a primary series of weekly intranasal OVA immunizations (1(0) vaccination). Selected mice also received intranasal sterile house dust extract (HDE) with each OVA vaccination, at a dose previously found to exert adjuvant activity. A third group of OVA-vaccinated mice received intranasal HDE on a daily basis, but at one seventh the adjuvant dose, beginning 1 week before the first and ending with the last 1(0) OVA vaccination. Mice were then left untreated for 4 weeks, and then received a secondary series of weekly intranasal OVA immunizations with adjuvant doses of HDE (2(0) sensitization). Three weeks later, OVA-specific airway challenges and immune responses were assessed. Analogous experiments were conducted with LPS. Mice receiving daily intranasal HDE or LPS during 1(0) OVA vaccination were highly resistant to 2(0) sensitization, whereas the mice in other experimental groups readily developed Th2-biased airway hypersensitivity. Tolerance was associated with poor OVA-specific CD4 cell proliferation and with local natural T-regulatory cell (Treg) expansion. Finally, Treg depletion by delivery of the anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody during 1(0) vaccination attenuated the tolerogenic effects of daily airway HDE exposures. These studies suggest that regular airway immunostimulant exposures selectively increase local Treg numbers and activity in an antigen-independent manner, thereby promoting the development of aeroallergen tolerance.