In Vivo Maintenance of Human Regulatory T Cells during CD25 Blockade

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) mediate immune tolerance to self and depend on IL-2 for homeostasis. Treg deficiency, dysfunction, and instability are implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous autoimmune diseases. There is considerable interest in therapeutic modulation of the IL-2 pathway to treat autoimmunity, facilitate transplantation tolerance, or potentiate tumor immunotherapy. Daclizumab is a humanized mAb that binds the IL-2 receptor alpha subunit (IL-2R alpha or CD25) and prevents IL-2 binding. In this study, we investigated the effect of daclizumab-mediated CD25 blockade on Treg homeostasis in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. We report that daclizumab therapy caused an similar to 50% decrease in Tregs over a 52-wk period. Remaining FOXP3(+) cells retained a demethylated Treg-specific demethylated region in the FOXP3 promoter, maintained active cell cycling, and had minimal production of IL-2, IFN-gamma, and IL-17. In the presence of daclizumab, IL-2 serum concentrations increased and IL-2R beta gamma signaling induced STAT5 phosphorylation and sustained FOXP3 expression. Treg declines were not associated with daclizumab-related clinical benefit or cutaneous adverse events. These results demonstrate that Treg phenotype and lineage stability can be maintained in the face of CD25 blockade.