The Importance of the Nurse Cells and Regulatory Cells in the Control of T Lymphocyte Responses

Abstract

T lymphocytes from the immune system are bone marrow-derived cells whose development and activities are carefully supervised by two sets of accessory cells. In the thymus, the immature young T lymphocytes are engulfed by epithelial “nurse cells” and retained in vacuoles, where most of them (95%) are negatively selected and removed when they have an incomplete development or express high affinity autoreactive receptors. The mature T lymphocytes that survive to this selection process leave the thymus and are controlled in the periphery by another subpopulation of accessory cells called “regulatory cells,” which reduce any excessive immune response and the risk of collateral injuries to healthy tissues. By different times and procedures, nurse cells and regulatory cells control both the development and the functions of T lymphocyte subpopulations. Disorders in the T lymphocytes development and migration have been observed in some parasitic diseases, which disrupt the thymic microenvironment of nurse cells. In other cases, parasites stimulate rather than depress the functions of regulatory T cells decreasing T-mediated host damages. This paper is a short review regarding some features of these accessory cells and their main interactions with T immature and mature lymphocytes. The modulatory role that neurotransmitters and hormones play in these interactions is also revised.

Identification and Validation of Immune-Related Gene for Predicting Prognosis and Therapeutic Response in Ovarian Cancer

“…It has been demonstrated that immune suppressor cells, including Tregs, M0 macrophages, and M2 macrophages, are associated with poorer outcomes ( 31 , 32 ). Tregs induce T cell cycle arrest ( 33 ), produce granzyme and perforin to kill T cells ( 34 ), release cytokines, inhibit the expression of antigen-presenting cells, CD80, and CD86 ( 35 ), and directly inhibit T cell activation and promote tumorigenesis. In addition, a number of studies have demonstrated that M2 macrophages had tumor-promoting properties ( 36 ) and Stat6 was the major transcription factor responsible for the induction of M2 genes ( 37 ).…”

The strange case of nurse cells: Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?

“…Similarly, thymocytes producing nonreactive αβTCRs are deleted by neglect. By participating in the positive and negative selection of immature T lymphocytes to tolerate self-antigens and recognize foreign antigens, TNCs support the development and survival of healthy T cells and enhance the elimination of aberrant or damaged T cells [3,5,6] (Figure 1).…”

Comprehensive Survey of miRNA-mRNA Interactions Reveals That Ccr7 and Cd247 (CD3 zeta) are Posttranscriptionally Controlled in Pancreas Infiltrating T Lymphocytes of Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) Mice

“…Type 1 diabetes mellitus does not occur without the participation of CD3 + T lymphocytes with either a CD4 + or CD8 + phenotype [ 27 , 28 ]. The immunoregulatory genes or cells that control the aggressiveness of autoreactive in the periphery and peripheral tolerance is a matter of importance that was first recognized several years ago and has been the focus of attempts to better understand the molecular genetic basis of autoimmunity in T1D [ 29 – 39 ].…”