T-cell tolerance induced by repeated antigen stimulation: Selective loss of Foxp3(-) conventional CD4 T cells and induction of CD4 T-cell anergy.
Repeated immunization of mice with bacterial superantigens induces extensive deletion and anergy of reactive CD4 T cells. Here we report that the in vitro proliferation anergy of CD4 T cells from TCR transgenic mice immunized three times with staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) (3x SEB) is partially due to an increased frequency of Foxp3(+) CD4 T cells. Importantly, reduced number of conventional C