Histone deacetylase inhibitors promote mice corneal allograft survival through alteration of CD4+ effector T cells and induction of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells.

Trichostatin A (TSA) is classical Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) II which is used in treatment of advanced cutaneous T-cells lymphoma. Our works focused on the roles of TSA on immuno-modulatory. We found that the TSA could induce resting Teff cells into apoptotic cell death and inhibit Teff cells proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. We also observed down-regulation effects of various costimulatory/adhesion molecules on Teff cells and up-regulation of Foxp3 expression on CD4+ CD25+ T cells. Treatment with TSA could improve mice corneal allograft survival by promoting the proportions and allosuppressive function of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells. Our findings suggest that the use of TSA allows the beneficial pharmacological effect on CD4+ CD25- T activation in vitro and enhancement of Foxp3+ Treg cells in vivo.