Diversity of TCRs on Natural Foxp3+ T Cells in Mice Lacking Aire Expression

Medullary thymic epithelial cells expressing the Aire gene play a critical role in the induction of tolerance to tissue-specific Ags (TSAs). It was postulated that recognition of Aire-controlled TSAs by immature thymocytes results in the selection of natural CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and enriches this repertoire in self-reactive receptors, contributing to its vast diversity. In this study, we compared the TCRs on individual Tregs in Aire+ and Aire− mice expressing a miniature TCR repertoire (TCRmini) along with GFP driven by the Foxp3 promoter (Foxp3GFP). The Treg TCR repertoires in Aire+ and Aire− TCRminiFoxp3GFP mice were similar and more diverse than their repertoires on CD4+ Foxp3− thymocytes. Further, TCRs found on potentially self-reactive T cells, with an activated phenotype (CD4+Foxp3−CD62Llow) in Aire− TCRminiFoxp3GFP mice, appear distinct from TCRs found on Tregs in Aire+ TCRminiFoxp3GFP mice. Lastly, we found no evidence that TSAs presented by medullary thymic epithelial cells in Aire+TCRmini mice are often recognized as agonists by Treg-derived TCR hybridomas or CD4+CD25+ thymocytes, containing both natural Tregs and precursors. Thus, positive selection and self-reactivity of the global Treg repertoire are not controlled by Aire-dependent TSAs.